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HISTORY 


OF 


THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 


BY 

|        JOHN    HEALY,  LL.D. 

Rector  of  Kellst  and  Canon  of  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES 


VOL.    II. 


DUBLIN: 

ASSOCIATION  FOR  PROMOTING  CHRISTIAN   KNOWLEDGE 
37   DAWSON    STREET 

1908 


PRINTED  BY 

SEALY,  BRTERS  AND  WALKEK. 

MIDDLE   ABBEY   STREET, 

DUBLIN. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THE  REVOLUTION.  Page 

Deputation  to  the  Prince  of  Orange — Thanksgiving  Ser- 
vices— Non- Jurors — Continued  disturbances — Sermon  by 
Bishop  Dopping — Collection  in  aid  of  the  Distressed 
Clergy — An  insolent  Letter  and  its  sequel — Difficulties 
as  to  Patronage — Dopping  proposed  for  the  Archbishopric 
of  Dublin — Objections  . .  . .  . .  . .  i 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN. 

Recovery  of  the  Church  after  fifty  years  of  trial — Church 
fabrics — Derelict  Parishes — Difficulty  in  levying  Rates 
for  the  Repair  of  Churches — Causes  of  Non-residence— 
Unions — Alienation  of  Church  Property — how  the 
number  of  Protestants  might  be  increased — Rural  Deans 
— Irish  Bible — Service  for  Receiving  Lapsed  Protestants 
— Comparison  between  Dopping  and  King — Character 
of  Bishop  Dopping  . .  . .  .  .  . .  12 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Appointment  of  new  Bishop — Letter  from  Bishop  King — 
Bishop  Richard  Tennison — A  new  Era — Unknown 
Benefactors — Trim — Castlelost — Remission  of  First 
Fruits — Bishop  William  Moreton — the  Jansenists— 
Bishop  John  Evans — Archbishop  King's  opinion  of  him 
— Bishop  Henry  Downes — Bishop  Ralph  Lambert — 
Swift  on  Preferment  in  the  Irish  Church  . .  . .  25 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"  STATE  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH,"  UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS. 

Date  of  Manuscript— Bishop  Welbore  Ellis — His  Funeral— 
Crozier  and  Mitre — Repair  of  Churches — Church 
Furniture — Communion  Vessels — Services — Education 
—Pluralities  and  Non-residence — Incomes  of  the  Clergy 
— Various  information  . .  •  •  35 


IV  CONTENTS 

Page 
CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

GLIMPSES  OF  CHURCH  LIFE. 

Dean  Swift — His  Incumbency  at  Laracor — Description  of  a 
Country  Parson — Goldsmith's  description — Incomes — 
Preaching — Wesley's  account  of  Preaching  at  Athlone — 
Parishioners — Bad  behaviour  at  Church — Repairs  of 
Churches — A  movable  Pulpit — Burials  in  Church- 
Stocks — Church  Wardens — Temperance — Swift  and 
Bishop  Evans — Remarkable  Letters — Swift's  friendliness 
to  Bishop  Downes  . .  . .  . .  *  49 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
PENAL  LAWS. 

Penal  Laws  existed  before  the  Reformation — Archbishop 
King  on  Penal  Laws — Toleration  not  understood— 
Political  aspect — Administration — Number  of  Roman 
Catholic  Clergy  in  Meath — Appointment  of  a  new  Roman 
Catholic  Bishop — Decreasing  rigour — An  incident  in 
Dublin — Attempts  at  Conversion  of  Roman  Catholics- 
Charter  Schools — Roll  of  Converts — Lord  Dunboyne  . .  67 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

METHODISM. 

Principally  in  Westmeath — Wesley's  succes; — Friendliness 
to  the  Church — Opposition — The  Vicar  of  Delvin  espouses 
the  cause  of  the  Methodists — Letters  to  Bishop  Maule  . .  81 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

BISHOPS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

Many  changes — Bishop  Arthur  Price — Begins  to  build  at 
Ardbraccan — Translated  to  Cashel — Dismantles  the  old 
Cathedral — Bishop  Henry  Maule — Charter  School  at 
Ardbraccan — Industrial  Reforms — Wilson's  Hospital — 
Visitations — Widows'  Fund — Bishop  Montgomery's 
Tomb — Projected  History  of  Ireland — Bishop  Carmichael 
—Bishop  Pococke — Mervyn  Archdall — Bishop  Arthur 
Smyth — Bishop  Maxwell  . .  . .  . .  . .  92 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  REBELLION  OF  1798. 

United  Irishmen — Influence  of  the  French  Revolution- 
Opposition  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishops — Battle  of 
Tara — Destruction  of  Church  Property — Skirmishes  . .  104 


CONTENTS  V 

Page 
CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

BISHOP  THOMAS  LEWIS  O'BEIRNE. 

Early  Life — enters  St.  Omer's  College — Joins  the  Church  of 
England — Ordination — Vicar  of  Grendon — Misrepresenta- 
tions of  some  Writers — Statement  in  Parliament — 
Voyage  to  America — Literary  Work — Return  to  Ireland 
— Correspondence  with  Dr.  Plunkett — Story  of  his  Intro- 
duction to  Lord  Portsmouth — Marriage  of  Mrs.  Fitz- 
herbert — Appointment  as  Bishop  of  Ossory — Translation 
to  Meath — Manifesto  in  favour  of  the  Union — 
Memorandum  on  the  Union  of  the  Churches — Maynooth 
— O'Beirne  as  a  Preacher — his  Literary  Works  . .  no 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

MEATH  IN  1799. 

Queries  of  Bishop  O'Beirne — Pluralities  and  Non-residence — 
Bishop's  views  on  Ecclesiastical  Discipline — Curates — 
Church  Fabrics— Glebe  Houses — -Tithes — Church  Services 
— Diocesan  School— Parish  Schools — Parish  Clerks— 
Charities  of  Athboy  . .  . .  . .  . .  130 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 
TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  PROGRESS. 

Residence  enforced  -  -  Excommunication  -  -  Building  of 
Churches  and  Glebe  Houses — Visitation  Charge  on 
Preaching — Dean  Kirwan — His  School  of  Eloquence- 
Sectaries — Hibernian  Bible  Society — -Clerical  Meetings — 
Last  Confirmation  Tour — Tablet  in  Ardbraccan  Church  148 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  TITHE  WAR. 

Bishop  Nathaniel  Alexander — Daniel  O'Connell — Anti-tithe 
Movement  —  Agitation— The  Catholic  Association  - 
Castlepollard — Kentstown — End  of  the  Agitation- 
Account  of  the  Parish  of  Athlone  in  1826 — Report  of 
the  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners,  1833 — Incomes — 
Population — Church  Temporalities  Act— The  National 
Board  .  .  ....  164 


VI  CONTENTS 

It 

Paw 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

MIDDLE  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

Bishop  Dickenson — Bishop  Stopford — Protestant  Orphan 
Society — Deanery  of  Clonmacnoise — Dr.  Brooke's 
Recollections  of  Meath  Clergy — Bishop  Townsend— 
Bishop  Singer — National  Board  and  Church  Education 
— Archdeacon  Stopford — Preaching  Gown — Scripture 
Readers — The  Great  Revival — Death  of  Bishop  Singer- 
Appointment  of  Bishop  Butcher  . .  . .  . .  178 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
THE  EVE  OF  DISESTABLISHMENT. 

Census  of  1861 — Disendowment  an  English  Movement— 
Royal  Commission  of  1867— Statistics  of  Meath — 
Proposal  to  suppress  the  Bishopric  of  Meath — Mr. 
Gladstone's  Disendowment  Resolutions — Action  of 
Archdeacon  Stopford — Diocesan  Conference — The  Bill 
passed — Choral  Unions  for  Meath  and  Westmeath  . .  193 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

RECONSTRUCTION. 

% 

Preparations  for  Disestablishment  —  Convocation  —  The 
General  Convention — Diocesan  Synod — The  Bishops' 
Veto — Meeting  of  the  Convention — System  of  Nomina- 
tion— Resignation  of  Archdeacon  Lee — Ecclesiastical 
Tribunals — The  Diocesan  Synod — Diocesan  Council- 
Finances  of  Meath — Profits  of  Commutation — The 
Financial  Scheme  . .  202 


CHAPTER  XL. 
THE  FIRST  EPISCOPAL  ELECTION. 

Death  of  Bishop  Butcher — Memorial  Exhibitions  founded  in 
T.C.D. — Meeting  of  the  Synod — Election  of  Lord  Plunket 
—Letters  to  his  Mother — His  Sympathy  with  Reformation 
Movements  abroad — The  Episcopal  Fund — Palace  at 
Ardbraccan — Church  Restoration — The  Land  League  . .  217 


CONTENTS  Vll 

Page 
CHAPTER  XLI. 

BISHOPS  REICHEL  AND  PEACOCKE. 

Translation  of  Lord  Plunket  to  Dublin — Election  of  Bishop 
Reichel — his  Preaching — Precedence  of  the  Diocese  of 
Meath — Decision  of  the  Court  of  the  General  Synod — 
Meath  Board  of  Education — Morgan,  Bolton,  and 
Cairnes  Funds — Death  of  Bishop  Reichel — Death  of  Mr. 
T.  P.  Cairnes — Election  of  Bishop  Peacocke — His 
Translation  to  Dublin  . .  . .  .  .  . .  229 

CHAPTER  XLII. 
A  FINAL  RETROSPECT. 

Election  of  Bishop  Keene — Supplemental  Scheme — Super- 
annuation— Deaths  of  Mr.  Robert  Fowler,  Archdeacon 
Nugent,  and  Rev.  A.  T.  Harvey — Other  Workers  in  the 
Diocese — New  Churches — Restorations — Finances — The 
Coote  Bequest — Emigration — Conclusion  . .  . .  240 


APPENDIX. 

I. — Church  Plate                 . .             . .  . .  . .  255 

II. — Bishops  of  Meath         . .             . .  . .  . .  269 

III. — Bishops  of  Clonmacnoise            . .  . .  . .  274 

IV. — Archdeacons  of  Meath  . .            . .  . .  . .  276 

V. — Deans  of  Clonmacnoise                . .  . .  . .  278 

VI. — Archdeacons  of  Clonmacnoise     . .  . .  . .  279 

VII. — Canons  of  Clonmacnoise             . .  . .  . .  279 

VIII. — Archdeacons  of  Kells    . .             . .  . .  . .  279 

IX.— Canons  of  the  National  Cathedral  of  St.  Patrick, 

Dublin        . .             . .             . .  . .  . .  280 

X. — Succession  of  the  Clergy              . .  ...  . .  280 


INDEX 


HISTORY 

OF   THE 

DIOCESE  OF   MEATH. 

_*_ 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  REVOLUTION. 

As  soon  as  the  issue  of  the  battle  of  the  Boyne  was 
known,  there  was  a  great  sigh  of  relief  from  the  whole 
Protestant  community  of  Ireland.  After  the  fight, 
King  Wiliiam  proceeded  towards  Dublin,  and  pitched 
his  camp  at  Finglas.  The  church  clergymen  who  were 
left  in  Dublin  immediately  formed  themselves  into  a 
deputation,  and  waited  on  the  Prince  of  Orange. 
They  were  headed  by  the  Bishop  of  Meath,  who  in 
their  name  presented  an  address  of  welcome  and 
congratulation,  at  the  same  time  expressing  their 
loyalty  to  him,  and  their  prayers  for  his  welfare. 

On  the  Sunday  following,  a  Thanksgiving  Service 
was  held  in  Saint  Patrick's  Cathedral  in  which  the 
bishop  took  a  prominent  part.1  Another  similar 
service  was  held  in  Christ  Church  shortly  after,  at 
which  Bishop  Dopping  preached.  Some  extracts 
from  his  sermon  on  that  occasion  have  already  been 
given.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  our  bishop  lost  no 
time  in  transferring  his  allegiance  to  the  conqueror. 

i  Mant. 
VOL.    II.  B 


2  HISTORY  OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Dopping's  detractors  put  this  down  to  his  time-serving 
spirit,  but  another  and  more  honourable  explanation 
can  easily  be  given,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose 
that  he  was  actuated  by  any  but  the  highest  and  most 
patriotic  motives. 

Nearly  all  the  bishops  followed  the  lead  of  Dopping. 
There  were,  however,  among  them  two  non-jurors. 
One  was  Sheridan,  Bishop  of  Kilmore,  who  "  retaliated 
the  injuries  inflicted  on  him  from  his  late  sovereign 
by  a  faithful  and  immovable  allegiance."  He  left 
his  diocese  and  went  over  to  England,  and  was  there- 
upon deprived,  ostensibly  because  he  had  absented 
himself  from  his  diocese  without  licence,  but,  of  course, 
really  because  he  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
The  other  non- juror  was  Otway,  Bishop  of  Ossory. 
An  order  for  his  suspension  was  issued,  but  Bishop 
Dopping  interceded  for  him,  and  urged  that  "  he  that 
continues  steadfast  to  the  late  King,  from  whom  he 
received  so  many  disobligations,  and  so  slender  a 
protection,  will  be  much  more  so  to  his  Majesty,  when 
his  judgment  is  convinced."  2  Dopping  also  wrote  to 
Otway,  setting  forth  the  reasons  why  in  his  judgment 
the  Prince  of  Orange  should  be  acknowledged.  Whether 
he  succeeded  in  convincing  him,  or  whether,  being  such 
an  old  man,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  condone  his 
offence,  is  not  clear,  but  at  all  events,  he  was  allowed 
to  retain  his  See  until  his  death,  which  occurred  two 
years  later. 

While  the  war  between  the  rival  monarchs  still 
continued  a  special  form  of  prayer,  suggested  and 
probably  drawn  up  by  Bishop  Dopping,  was  used  in 
the  churches  every  Friday,  which  day  was  set  apart 
as  a  fast  day,  "  appointed  by  the  King  and  Queen 
for  supplicating  Almighty  God  for  the  pardon  of  our 

1  Mant,  Preface  to  vol.  ii..  History  of  the  Church  f>f  JvJanil. 


THE    REVOLUTION  3 

sins,  and  for  imploring  His  blessing  on  their  forces 
by  land  and  sea."  Among  the  prayers  was  one  for 
the  Protestants  in  those  parts  of  the  country  where 
King  James  still  retained  his  hold.  It  was  entitled  : 
"  A  Prayer  for  the  rest  of  our  brethren  that  are  not 
yet  delivered."  This  service  was  first  used  on  the  sixth 
of  August,  1690. 

Though  the  victory  of  the  Boyne  sealed  the  fate 
of  King  James,  it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the 
turmoil  of  the  country  would  be  quelled  in  a  moment. 
Not  only  were  King  James's  soldiers  still  in  the  field, 
but  the  presence  of  even  a  friendly  army,  especially 
under  the  rules  of  warfare  which  obtained  in  those  days, 
was  not  a  thing  that  made  for  order  or  quietude. 
The  Diocese  of  Meath  that  had  suffered  from  the 
rabble,  now  suffered  from  the  violence  of  the  soldiers. 
The  newly-regained  power  of  the  Protestants  was  not 
always  used  with  due  moderation,  nor  were  men  ready, 
after  so  much  disorder,  to  settle  down  at  once  to 
peaceful  pursuits.  Another  of  Bishop  Dopping's 
sermons,  preached  about  this  time,  gives  a  glimpse 
of  the  sad  condition  in  which  the  country  remained 
for  some  time.  He  is  preaching  from  the  text  (Daniel 
x.,  2,  3),  "  In  those  days  I  Daniel  was  mourning  three 
full  weeks  ;  I  ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh 
nor  wine  in  my  mouth,  neither  did  I  anoint  myself  at 
all,  till  three  whole  weeks  were  fulfilled  ;  "  and  he 
is  urging  the  duty  of  humiliation  and  fasting,  in  view 
of  the  calamities  of  the  country.  He  goes  on  to  say  : 

I  shall  only  confine  myself  to  the  state  and  condition  of 
our  own  affairs,  which  certainly  call  upon  us  for  a  severer  exercise 
of  mortification  than  we  have  hitherto  practised.  How  many  of 
our  brethren  do  still  stay  behind  to  enjoy  that  ease  and  plenty 
in  England  which  they  do  not  expect  to  meet  with  in  this 
afflicted  country,  being  neither  touched  with  a  feeling  of  the 
private  sufferings  nor  a  sense  of  the  public  calamities  that  are 


4  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

upon  the  nation.  What  industrious  arts  we  used  to  protract 
the  war,  and  hinder  the  progress  of  that  deliverance  which  God 
Had  so  happily  wrought  for  us 

We  have  likewise  reason  to  fast  and  mourn  because  of 
the  dismal  state  and  condition  of  the  kingdom  wherein  we  live. 
We  may  take  up  the  sad  lamentation  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  : 
'  Your  country  is  desolate,  your  cities  are  burned  with  fire, 
your  land  is  destroyed  by  strangers  in  your  presence,  and  it  is 
desolate  as  overthrown  by  strangers  ;  and  the  daughter  of  Zion 
is  left  as  a  cottage  in  a  vineyard,  as  a  lodge  in  a  garden  of 
cucumbers,  and  as  a  besieged  city.'  Our  stately  houses  are 
burnt  with  fire,  our  costly  and  expensive  improvements  cut 
down  and  destroyed  ;  some  of  our  brethren  are  still  under  the 
power  of  their  enemies,  and  those  that  are  escaped  them  are 
forced  to  leave  all  behind  them,  and  count  it  as  an  happiness 
that  their  lives  are  safe.  .  .  .  Our  treacherous  and  disguised 
friends  do  secretly  contrive  our  ruin  by  betraying  our  counsels, 
and  endeavouring  to  disturb  the  public  peace.  Our  deliverers 
oppress  their  friends  whom  they  came  to  protect,  and  after 
that  they  have  rescued  them  from  the  power  of  their  enemies, 
they  reserve  them  to  fall  as  a  sacrifice  by  their  own  hands,  and 
think  themselves  to  have  a  just  title  to  all  that  they  possess, 
because  of  the  deliverance  which  they  have  brought  them. 

We  are  relapsed  into  the  same  sins  that  we  solemnly 
renounced,  and  have  practised  the  same  inhumanities  towards 
our  enemies  that  we  condemned  in  them  towards  ourselves. 
We  called  it  plundering  and  injustice  when  they  seized  upon 
our  goods,  but  we  count  it  none  in  ourselves  to  take  away  theirs 
on  the  pretence  of  reprisals  for  our  losses  ;  and  now  that  God 
has  put  it  in  our  power  to  return  good  for  evil,  and  observe 
that  excellent  rule  of  not  doing  to  another  what  we  would  not 
have  done  to  ourselves,  we  are  so  far  from  being  induced  to 
practice  it,  that  we  count  it  a  lawful  prize,  and  think  it  to  be 
as  innocent  a  game  as  that  of  the  Israelites  in  spoiling  the 
Egyptians.  3 

It  is  clear  from  this  that  Dopping  was  as  unsparing 
in  rebuking  his  friends  as  he  had  been  formerly  in 
resisting  his  foes.  When  such  a  picture  could  be  drawn, 
we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  there  was  much 
suffering  and  even  destitution  amongst  the  clergy. 

»  MS.  Sermons,  T.C.D. 


THE    REVOLUTION  5 

The  bishop  did  something  more  than  declaim  on  this 
subject.  He  made  an  appeal  to  his  friends  in  England, 
and  was  able  to  collect  a  substantial  sum  for  the 
purpose  of  meeting  their  present  necessities.  In 
connection  with  this  appeal,  the  Bishop  of  London  wrote 
a  letter  to  Dopping,  in  which  there  are  some  extra- 
ordinary statements.  The  date  of  the  letter  is  the 
25th  of  September,  1690,  a  time  when  things  were  still 
in  the  greatest  disorder,  and  when  the  majority  of  the 
clergy  had  been  for  several  years  without  having 
received  any  income  from  their  benefices.  It  seems 
to  suggest  that  then,  as  so  often  before  and  since, 
Englishmen  were  profoundly  ignorant  of  what  was 
going  on  in  the  sister  island.  Whatever  explanation 
may  be  given  of  it,  the  letter  is  curious  and  interesting. 
The  Bishop  of  London  says  :— 

I  am  told  that  the  clergy  of  Ireland  lived  in  great  luxury, 
particularly  as  to  apparel  and  equipage,  and,  indeed  we  had 
some  specimens  come  over  hither  now  and  then  that  made  it 
the  more  suspicious.  We  have  heard  likewise  great  complaints 
of  non-residence,  and  dispensations  for  holding  benefices  at 
extravagant  distances.  It  is  said  that  there  are  in  many  places 
very  unreasonable  unions  of  parishes,  in  quality  as  well  as 
number.  It  has  been  talked  as  if  some  who  formerly  recom- 
mended to  church  preferments  had  too  great  a  regard  to  their 
secular  friends  and  relations.  4 

The  Bishop  of  London  was,  no  doubt,  right  in  the 
matter  of  non-residence  and  unsuitable  unions  of 
parishes,  but  he  does  not  seem  to  recognize  that  the 
fault  lay  with  the  English  rulers.  As  to  the  luxury  of 
apparel  and  equipage,  it  is  quite  certain  that  it 
was  not  kept  up  by  the  income  of  the  benefices, 
Possibly  some  of  those  non-residents,  who  were  better 
known  in  London  than  in  their  own  parishes,  may  have 
made  an  ostentatious  display,  but  they  were  men, 

4  Doppiny  Correspondence,  Armagh. 


0  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

appointed  for  the  most  part  by  the  crown,  who  had 
other  sources  of  income,  and  who  regarded  the  tithes 
of  their  parishes  in  Ireland  as  additions  given  to 
reward  them  for  political  or  other  services. 

As  soon  as  peace  was  restored  Bishop  Dopping  lost 
no  time  in  taking  up  the  work  of  reorganization  in 
his  diocese.  What  he  accomplished  in  this  respect 
will  form  the  subject  of  the  next  chapter.  Here  it 
may  be  enough  to  point  out  some  of  the  difficulties 
he  encountered,  not  from  the  Romish  party,  but  from 
his  own  co-religionists.  The  following  insolent  letter 
from  the  Earl  of  Cavan  tells  its  own  story  : 

October  the  last,  1691. 
MY  LORD, 

I  onely  wrote  to  you  in  Civility  to  lett  you  know  whoe  I 
have  appointed  my  Chaplin  of  Kilbeggan  Parish,  for  that  my 
father,  being  non  compos  ments  appointed  none  of  Harvie 
in  his  life  time,  and  Oliver  Lambert  presumptiously  putt  in 
Harvie,  and  I  with  power  now  in  my  Pattent  from  the  former 
Kings  of  England  putts  in  Griffith,  and  if  you  please  to 
oblidge  me  in  granting  him  a  Licence  you  may  ;  if  not,  I  make 
bould  to  tell  you  I  will  keepe  Griffith  in  posson  of  the  place — 
turne  him  out  you,  if  you  can,  for  I  will  uphould  him  as  farr 
as  the  Law  will  allow  me  agst  them  that  will  oppose  him,  for 
it  is  my  right  to  prsent  a  ministr  as  it  is  for  me  to  receive  my 
Rents  out  of  my  Estate.  I  suppose  you  would  keepe  in  Harvey 
upon  your  freind  Olivr  Lamberts  acco*,  being  your  ould 
acquaintance,  but  I  assure  your  Lordshipp  you  will  finde  that 

1  am  not  the  man  that  has  beene  reprsented  to   you  and  other 
noted  men  in  this  Kingdome,  when  occation  shall  offer  I  am 
onely  to  prsent  a  minis tr  to  you,  and  if  you  wont  except  of 
him  I  can  put  in  afterwards  whome  I  please,  and  soe  assure 
your  selfe  for  truth  from 

Your  Lordpps  humble  Serv1, 

CAVAN. 

If  you  will  put  in  a  minister  (without  my  ord")  as  long  as  I 
have  prsented  one  to  you  already,  I  doe  assure  your  Lordpp. 
I  will  make  bould  to  turne  him  out  by  the  should™.  5 

5  Dopping  Correspondence. 


THE    REVOLUTION  7 

It  is  amusing,  but  at  the  same  time  pathetic,  to 
contrast  this  letter  with  another  written  to  Bishop 
Dopping  by  the  same  nobleman  a  few  years  later  : 

%     Stober  ye  29th,  '96. 
My  Ld, 

Amongst  All  the  Rest  of  yr  kindnesses  to  me,  I  have  ons 
Request  more  to  beg  of  you,  y*  Is  to  Appr  In  Person  att  ye 
Councill  Board  to  morrow  and  to  give  me  yor  Assistance  there, 
otherwise  I  may  Perish  In  the  Streetes  for  want  of  Lodgeing 
and  food,  for  there  is  some  body  or  another  y'  has  Invent* 
damnable  Lies  of  me,  sayeing  y4  I  reflectd  on  some  of  y* 
Councill  by  way  of  discourse.  Certtainly  Had  I  done  itt  I 
should  be  one  of  ye  Cursedest  Blockheads  In  ye  world  to 
Reflect  upon  ym  yt  gives  me  my  dayly  Bread.  Pray  my  Lo 
stand  my  freind  y*  my  allowance  might  nott  be  taken  away 
from  me,  and  y1  If  itt  Can  be  made  appr  upon  Oath  against 
me  y{  ever  I  spoke  scandelous  words  of  any  of  the  Privy 
Councill  I  will  \vth  Humble  Submission  Beg  their  Pardon,  butt 
I  know  of  no  offence  y*  I  have  comittd.  there  is  a  Tenn  shills 
a  weeke  wch  was  laid  up  in  mr  Palmers  Hands  \vch  Comes  now 
to  twenty  Pounds  due  to  me  In  arrears,  and  If  they  doe  take  it 
away,  god  forgive  ym.  Pray  my  Lo  be  so  kind  as  to  desire  y™ 
to  lett  me  have  my  arrears  to  buy  me  Cloathes  wch  I  am  in  much 
need,  and  to  maintaine  me  and  Beare  my  Charges  wn  ye 
wether  settles  to  goe  to  England  to  wait  on  His  Majesty, 
for  I  know  I  shall  nott  have  wherewthall  to  Beare  my  charges 
Butt  Must  Beg  att  ye  gentlemens  Houses  by  ye  way.  Nott 
Doubting  yr  Losps  Kindness, 

I  remaine, 
Yor   Ldsps    Most   Humble   Serv*, 

CAVAN. 6 

In  1694  some  livings  in  the  gift  of  Lord  Drogheda 
fell  vacant,  and  Dopping  thought  it  a  good  opportunity 
to  make  some  unions  which  would  render  the  parishes 
in  the  east  end  of  the  County  Meath  more  workable. 
He  accordingly  wrote  to  that  nobleman,  and  suggested 

*  Dapping  Correspondence, 


8  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

that  Julianstown  should  be  given  to  Mr.  Thomas 
Langdale,  if  he  were  appointed  by  the  Lords  Justices 
to  Ballygarth,  that  Ardcath  and  Timoole  should  be 
joined  to  Duleek,  "  which  will  make  a  competent 
maintenance  for  a  resident  incumbent,"  and  that 
Moorechurch  and  Clonalvey  should  be  joined  to 
Stamullen.  There  was  a  Mr.  Brown  at  that  time 
incumbent  of  Clonalvey,  but  the  bishop  thought  that 
he  might  be  dispossessed,  as  he  was  already  a  good 
deal  of  a  pluralist.  He  says  "Mr.  Brown  by  this  means 
will  grow  as  fat  in  purse  as  he  is  in  body,  but  he  must 
part  with  some  things  that  he  has,  that  he  may  not 
grow  too  bulky,  and  if  it  were  left  to  me,  I  could  soon 
resolve  what  they  should  be."  The  bishop  concludes 
his  letter  by  saying  :  "  My  Lord,  it  is  now  in  your 
power  to  provide  for  the  clamorous  necessity  of  that 
side  of  the  country,  and  to  prevent  their  complaints 
for  the  future  ;  and  if  something  be  not  done  at  this 
time,  the  blame  will  lie  at  your  lordship's  door  and  not 
at  mine." 

This  request  seemed  reasonable  enough  ;  it,  how- 
ever drew  forth  an  extraordinary  reply  from  Lord 
Drogheda  : 

Dublin,   the   5th   ffebruary,  1694. 

MY  VERY  GOOD  LORD, 

An  old  gentleman  whose  looks  seem'd  to  crave  a  writt  of 
case,  from  having  too  many  cures  to  serve  (therefore  should 
be  made  a  Bpp  by  my  consent)  deliverd  me  this  day  a  Letter 
from  yor  Lordsp  in  somewhat  an  unusuall  stile,  which  I  cannot 
but  resent,  it  having  been  all  ways  my  custome  to  consult 
your  Lordship  in  the  disposeing  of  what  livings  fell  in  my 
presentation,  tho  yor  Lordsp  has  been  pleas 'd  to  be  hard  on  me 
since  the  Breach  of  Boyne,  on  that  account,  which  I  pass'd 
by,  rather  than  to  have  any  difference  with  yor  Lordsp,  whom 
I  ever  honoured  and  esteem'd,  but  now  I  must  take  leave  to 
tell  yor  Lordsp  I  shall  present  as  I  formerly  writt  you  word, 


THE   REVOLUTION  9 

and  if  my  Presentations  meet  with  any  opposition  I  know  what 
I  have  to  doe,  tho  it  will  be  a  trouble  to  me  to  have  any 
difference  and  dispute  with  a  Bpp  I  soe  much  honour.  I  shall 
ever  endeavour  to  present  those  that  will  not  neglect  their 
duty  ;  it  is  in  your  power  to  make  them  do  it,  tho  not  in  your 
power  to  refuse  my  presentation.  I  doe  assure  you  Mr. 
Browne  did  not  say  one  word  to  me  of  Langdall  nor  any  body 
else,  but  I  was  and  am  resolved  not  to  give  any  of  my  Livings 
to  Mrs.  or  Mr.  Coote's  chaplains,  and  my  reasons  I  doe  not 
think  fitt  to  mention,  neither  am  I  oblidged  to  it.  Mr. 
Higgins  has  undertaken  to  serve  the  cure  of  Duleek,  and  I 
doubt  not  but  he  will  performe. 

Yor  Ldship  in  yor  Letter  to  me  of  the  3ist  of  the  last 
month  is  under  great  mistakes  about  the  number  of  Denomi- 
nations of  Parishes  that  Mr.  Browne  has.  You  mention 
Grangegeeth,  Monknewtowne,  Radrynagh,  Knockamon,  which 
are  Townes  of  mine  in  the  Ldship  of  Mellefont,  and  not  as  you 
apprehend  them  to  be.  I  believe  your  Ldship  knew  the  value 
of  the  living  of  Trim  much  better  than  any  Livings  of  mine, 
and  I  believe  would  have  been  as  well  served  and  as  much  to 
the  glory  of  God  if  it  had  not  been  annexed  to  the  Bpprick. 
I  am, 

Yor  Lordships  humble  Servant, 

DROGHEDA. 

I  have  sent  Mr.  Higgins  to  wait  on  you  and  to  satisfy 
you,  which  is  a  compliment  I  might  have  let  alone. 

Yor  Ldship  desird  me  in  one  of  yor  Letters  to  give  the 
Living  of  Julianstowne  to  him  whom  the  Lords  Justices  gave 
Ballygart  to,  and  att  the  same  time  recomended  Langdall  for 
it  to  the  Government,  which  was  not  clear  yor  Lordship  had 
not  yor  considering  Cap  on,  if  you  had  you  would  have  writt 
to  the  Lords  Justices  to  have  given  Ballygart  to  the  man  that 
I  presented  to  Julianstowne,  for  if  you  had  thought  on  it,  I 
am  sure  you  know  me  so  well  that  you  might  have  been 
confident  it  could  have  been  done  no  other  way  to  have  joyned 
those  two  livings. 7 

Some  further  correspondence  ensued,  and  evidently 
a  compromise  was  effected.  The  last  letter  preserved 
is  from  Lord  Drogheda,  who  says  :— 

I  this  day  received  yors  of  the  6th,  if  yor  Lordsp  has  a 
coppy  of  the  Letter  you  writ  to  me  as  I  have  of  that  which  I 

7  Doppiny  Correspondence. 


10  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

writt  to  you,  you  will  find  who  was  the  first  egressor  by  way 
of  an  angry  stile.  But  as  it  is  in  Proverbs  Chap,  the  15,  ver. 
the  ist,  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath  but  grievous  words 
stir  up  anger,  and  in  another  Scripture,  Lett  not  the  sun  goe 
downe  upon  your  wrath,  and  this  I  hope  in  God  I  shall  stick 
too,  and  I  doubt  not  but  yor  Lordship  will  doe  the  same. 

The  See  of  Dublin  became  vacant  by  the  death  of 
Archbishop  Francis  Marsh  on  the  i6th  of  December, 
1693.  Considering  the  eminent  position  which  Bishop 
Dopping  held,  and  the  invaluable  services  which  he  had 
rendered  in  times  of  great  trial,  it  was  natural  that  his 
name  should  be  mentioned  amongst  those  who  were 
likely  to  be  advanced  to  the  archiepiscopal  dignity. 
King  William,  however,  seems  never  to  have  regarded 
him  with  any  great  favour.  Already  the  bishop  had 
given  offence  by  a  sermon  in  which  he  urged  that  the 
articles  of  the  treaty  of  Limerick  should  not  be  held 
binding,  and  pleaded  for  stricter  enforcement  of  the 
laws  against  Roman  Catholics.  On  that  occasion 
the  King  had  expressed  his  great  displeasure,  and  gave 
orders  that  Dopping  should  be  removed  from  the 
Privy  Council.  Acting  on  the  advice  of  the  Bishop  of 
London,  Bishop  Dopping  wrote  to  the  King,  giving 
explanations  and  apologies,  and  shortly  afterwards 
received  from  that  prelate  a  letter  which  told  him 
that  "  the  King  is  very  well  satisfied  with  your 
submission,  and  to  give  you  an  assurance  that  he  has 
laid  aside  all  his  displeasure,  he  has  given  order  to  my 
Lord  Sidney  to  restore  you  to  all  the  marks  of  his 
favour  at  his  first  arrival."  8 

The  offence  was  thus  condoned,  but  it  was  not 
forgotten.  Other  things,  too,  were  remembered 
against  him,  specially  his  adherence  to  the  cause  of 
King  James  as  long  as  the  issue  of  the  struggle  was 

8  Dopping  Correspondence. 


THE    REVOLUTION  II 

in  any  doubt.  During  that  time,  too,  he  had  made 
enemies  for  himself  among  some  of  the  Protestants, 
who  were  not  slow  now  in  misrepresenting  his  conduct. 
The  Bishop  of  London  tells  him  that  "  the  objections 
made  by  those  who  were  against  your  promotion  was 
that  you  had  been  once  very  zealous  for  showing  favour 
to  the  Papist  •,  and  afterwards  for  having  them  all 
hanged."  In  another  letter  he  says  : — 

I  heard  my  Lord  Sydney  say  he  was  not  for  your  having 
the  archbishopric,  because  in  King  James'  time  you  was  for 
destroying  the  Protestants  (I  suppose  he  meant  the  dissenters), 
and  in  King  William's  time  for  routing  the  Papists. 

In  another  letter  he  gives  still  further  particulars  :— 

I  can  only  tell  you  at  present  that  a  speech  in  King  James 
his  Parliament  was  extremely  applauded  ;  so  for  abatement 
I  find  it  objected  that  you  prayed  at  that  time  for  the  Prince 
of  Wales,  moved  for  some  severities  against  dissenters,  and  had 
prayers  for  that  King's  success  upon  his  expedition  at  the  Boyne. 
You  felt  what  resentment  was  taken  at  your  unseasonable 
sermon,  as  it  was  then  styled,  the  copy  of  which,  to  my  grief, 
I  have  been  cheated  of.  The  last  offence  taken  was  at  your 
appearing  before  our  House  of  Lords,  when  they  say  you  ought 
not  to  have  appeared,  to  give  an  account  of  what  passed  at  a 
Privy  Council  whereof  you  yourself  was  a  member,  and  that 
you  laid  your  load  upon  others,  when  you  yourself  was  most 
forward  in  giving  that  advice  which  was  complained  of. 

The  result  of  all  this  was  not  only  that  Dopping 
was  passed  over  in  the  appointment  of  the  arch- 
bishopric, but  that  to  the  end  of  his  days  he  continued 
to  be  more  or  less  under  a  cloud.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  work  enough  to  do  in  his  Diocese  of  Meath, 
where  all  things  needed  rearrangement.  His  efforts 
in  this  direction  will  form  the  subject  of  our  next 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN. 

THE  establishment  of  the  power  of  William  III.  marks 
for  us  the  end  of  a  long  period  of  suffering  and  disaster, 
and  the  dawning  of  more  peaceful  days  for  the  Church 
of  Ireland.  For  fifty  years  she  had  gone  through 
troubles  such  as  she  had  never  seen  before,  and  has 
never  seen  since.  Three  separate  attempts  had  been 
made  to  blot  her  out  of  existence  :  first,  by  the  rebels 
of  1641  and  the  "  Catholic  Confederation  "  which  they 
established  ;  secondly  by  the  Puritans  under  Cromwell  ; 
and  thirdly,  by  King  James  II.  After  such  a  period 
of  trial  we  can  scarcely  wonder  that  she  was  weak  and 
exhausted,  and  that  the  process  of  recovery  was  slow. 
It  is  to  be  feared  also  that  the  lessons  of  adversity  were 
but  imperfectly  learned.  Statesmen  tried  to  help  the 
Church  in  their  blundering  way  by  the  enactment  of 
penal  laws,  but  life  and  vigour  could  never  be  given 
by  means  such  as  these.  Indeed,  the  penal  laws  have 
hindered  our  Church  more  than  anything  else  in  her 
whole  history.  All  this,  however,  belongs  to  a  later 
period.  Our  present  task  is  to  show  the  condition 
of  the  Church  after  those  fifty  years  of  warfare  and 
tribulation,  and  the  efforts  that  were  made  by  her 
rulers  to  heal  the  wounds  that  she  had  received. 

Happily,  the  materials  at  our  disposal,  as  far  as  the 
Diocese  of  Meath  is  concerned,  are  all  that  could  be 
desired.  A  Royal  Visitation  was  held  in  the  year 
1693,  and  the  report  then  drawn  up  by  Bishop  Dopping 


BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN          13 

is  still  preserved.1  This  describes  for  us  the  state  of 
the  diocese  in  detail,  giving  the  condition  of  every 
district  parish  by  parish.  The  description,  on  the 
whole,  is  saddening.  Again  and  again  we  have  the 
entry  that  the  church  is  "in  ruin  since  1641."  The 
number  of  the  clergy  was  few,  and  more  than  the  fourth 
part  of  them  were  non-resident ;  others  were  pmralists, 
having  parishes  so  far  asunder  that  it  was  utterly 
impossible  for  the  duties  to  be  properly  discharged. 
Several  parishes  were  without  any  provision  for  the 
cure  of  souls. 

A  few  extracts  may  be  given  as  illustrations  of  the 
condition  of  the  several  parishes,  choice  being  made 
of  the  more  important  centres.  Of  Mullingar  the 
bishop  tells  that  it  was  formerly  worth  twenty-five 
pounds  per  annum,  but  that  the  income  was  then  not 
more  than  seven  pounds.  The  church  and  chancel 
were  repaired,  but  the  vicar  resided  at  Galtrim,  which 
parish  he  also  held,  and  only  gave  the  Mullingar  people 
a  service  once  a  fortnight.  The  large  parish  of  Killucan 
had  a  non-resident  incumbent,  who  spent  his  time  in 
Dublin.  His  curate  lived  in  the  parish,  and  "  preaches 
as  often  as  his  age  and  infirmities  permit."  The 
church  and  chancel  were  in  very  bad  repair,  and  six 
chapels  of  ease,  which  were  situated  in  different  parts 
of  the  parish,  were  all  in  ruin.  That  part  of  the 
country  had  suffered  much  in  the  recent  troubles,  and 
was  "  mightily  waste  at  present,  not  having  above 
fifteen  Protestant  families  in  it."  In  Duleek,  and 
indeed  in  a  great  many  other  parishes,  they  had  service 
only  once  a  fortnight.  "  This  church,"  we  are  told, 
"  was  anciently  a  cathedral  church,  and  the  seat  of  a 
bishop,  but  was  reduced  to  the  head  of  a  rural  deanery 
by  Cardinal  Paparo  in  the  year  1152 ;  afterwards 

1  Bishop  Dopping's  Report  is  in  Marsh's  Library.    There  is  also  a  transcript 
in  the  Record  Office,  Dublin. 


14  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

impropriate  to  the  abbey  of  Lanthony  in  England, 
and  upon  the  dissolution  of  the  abbeys  granted  to  Sir 
Garrett  Moor.  It  had  organs  and  a  choir  in  King 
James  the  First  his  days,  but  upon  granting  away  the 
chantry  lands  which  supported  the  expense  of  them, 
it  fell  to  decay.  There  are  still  standing  the  walls 
of  a  fair  large  church  and  chancell,  with  two  aisles 
adjoining  to  it,  but  all  out  of  repair  these  fifty  years, 
except  the  porch,  where  the  parishioners  assemble  to 
Divine  service." 

Of  course,  there  are  some  reports  more  favourable 
than  these,  but  it  is  hard  to  find  one  in  which  the  record 
is  altogether  satisfactory.  In  Trim  the  church  was  in 
good  repair,  and  the  services  constantly  maintained, 
but  the  chancel  was  in  ruin.  In  Kells,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  chancel  was  in  repair,  and  the  body  01  the 
church  in  ruin.  In  several  cases  we  are  told  that  the 
services  were  regularly  conducted,  though  both  church 
and  chancel  were  in  ruin.  For  the  most  part  no  informa- 
tion is  given  as  to  where  the  parishioners  assembled. 
Sometimes,  however,  we  are  told  that  they  met  in  the 
porch,  as  in  the  case  of  Duleek  just  quoted.  In 
Kentstown  also,  the  porch  was  able  to  accommodate 
the  few  parishioners  who  came  to  church.  In  other 
places,  we  learn  that  they  met  in  private  houses.  This 
was  the  usage  at  Rathmolyon,  Kilberry,  Moynalty, 
and  a  few  other  places.  At  Stackallen  they  made  use 
of  the  private  chapel  of  Mr.  Serjeant  Osburn.  At  Navan 
they  repaired  the  Mass  house,  and  held  their  service 
there.  No  general  effort  seems  to  have  been  made 
as  yet  to  rebuild  the  churches. 

Bishop  Dopping  sums  up  these  several  reports  by 
telling  us  that  the  diocese  contained  one  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  parish  churches  and  one  hundred  and 
six  chapels  of  ease,  but  only  forty-three  churches  in  all 


BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN          15 

were  in  repair.  There  were  fifty-five  clergymen,  fifteen 
of  whom  were  non-resident.  There  were  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  impropriate  churches  and  chapels  in 
the  hands  of  lay  persons.  He  adds  that  in  1688  there 
were  five  other  churches  in  repair,  but  they  had  been 
ruined  since  that  time  by  the  late  troubles.  "  All  the 
rest  of  the  churches  and  chapels  have  been  out  of 
repair  ever  since  1641,  but  the  walls  of  them  are  still 
standing." 

The  most  interesting  part  of  this  report  is  the 
conclusion,  in  which  the  bishop,  under  the  heading 
of  "  Observations,"  summarizes  the  results,  and  makes 
suggestions  as  to  what  he  considered  necessary  for  the 
future  well-being  of  the  Church.  With  the  help  of  this, 
it  is  possible  to  present  a  fairly  accurate  picture  of 
the  condition  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath  at  that  time. 

He  begins  by  saying  that  of  the  impropriate  parishes 
in  the  hands  of  laymen,  twenty  had  no  provision  for  a 
curate,  and  twenty-nine  had  only  three  pounds  per 
annum  or  less.  These  were  the  parishes  that  had 
formerly  belonged  to  the  monasteries.  In  the  time 
of  Henry  VIII.  they  passed  into  lay  hands,  but  it 
was  stipulated  that  in  each  case  some  provision 
should  be  made  for  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people. 
Unfortunately  this  duty  was  in  most  cases  shamefully 
neglected,  and  the  government  seems  never  to  have 
enforced  the  clauses  in  the  patents  which  provided 
for  it.  The  result  was  that  in  fully  half  of  the  Diocese 
of  Meath,  the  vicarages  were  so  poor  that  there  could 
be  no  adequate  provision  for  the  cure  of  souls. 

Besides  these,  there  were  other  parishes  in  which 
the  endowments  were  miserably  small,  or  where  such 
large  payments  had  to  be  made  to  the  crown,  that 
scarcely  anything  was  left  for  the  incumbent.  Then, 
there  were  no  less  than  fifty-nine  parishes  "  either 


l6  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

totally  waste  or  impoverished  by  the  late  troubles." 
The  only  way  in  which  it  was  possible  to  provide  for 
these  parishes  was  by  union  with  some  of  the  adjoining 
churches.  To  facilitate  this,  an  act  had  recently  been 
passed,  but  as  yet  only  eleven  such  unions  had  been 
effected,  and  in  some  of  the  eleven  the  validity  of 
the  union  was  disputed. 

The  bishop  directs  attention  to  the  number  of 
churches  that  were  in  ruin,  and  enumerates  the  causes. 
They  were  threefold  :  first,  the  frequent  wars  and 
troubles  in  the  kingdom  ;  secondly,  the  neglect  of  the 
parishioners,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  the  body  of 
the  church  in  repair,  and  of  the  impropriators  and 
clergy,  whose  duty  it  was  to  look  after  the  chancels  ; 
and  thirdly,  the  weakness  of  ecclesiastical  power,  and 
the  great  expense  and  delay  of  proceedings  in  the 
ecclesiastical  courts.  These  last  were  so  cumbrous 
and  ineffective  that  the  cost  of  recovering  rates  that 
had  been  levied  and  not  paid,  swallowed  up  all  the 
proceeds,  leaving  nothing  for  the  purpose  for  which 
the  rate  was  struck. 

Bishop  Dopping  goes  on  to  suggest  some  remedies 
which  might  counteract  these  three  things  which  had 
caused  the  ruin  of  the  churches  ;  and  his  suggestions 
here  throw  a  curious  light  on  the  ideas  then  held,  as 
to  the  nature  of  political  and  religious  liberty.  He 
gives  it  as  his  opinion,  that  wars  and  commotions 
may  be  prevented  by  hindering  the  Romanists  from 
sending  their  children  to  the  Continent  for  education  ; 
by  suffering  none  of  them  to  be  bred  up  in  the  inns  of 
court,  "  for  it  is,"  he  says,  "  their  lawyers  have  done 
the  greatest  mischief,  and  formed  and  managed  their 
politics  in  all  commotions  ;  "  and  by  causing  "  Popish 
minors  that  are  heirs  "  to  be  brought  up  as  Protestants. 
In  all  this,  of  course,  he  only  reflects  the  spirit  of  the 


BISHOP   DOPPING  S  VISITATION  RETURN  17 

age.  People  did  not  yet  understand  that  these  were  un- 
worthy means  which  defeated  their  own  ends,  because, 
for  one  who  would  be  gained  by  such  devices  great 
numbers  would  be  estranged,  and  bitter  seeds  of  dis- 
satisfaction would  be  sown,  which  it  would  take 
generations  to  eradicate. 

The  reluctance  of  the  people  to  pay  the  rates 
levied  for  the  repair  of  the  churches  he  would  meet  by 
simplifying  the  methods  of  procedure  in  the  ecclesiastical 
courts,  and  by  giving  imprisonment  rather  than 
excommunication  as  a  punishment  for  disobedience. 
"  Excommunication,"  he  says,  "  is  too  dreadful  and 
severe  a  sentence  to  inflict  for  such  small  matters 
as  are  usually  the  occasion  of  the  contumacy  ;  "  but 
he  admits  that  many  of  the  people  cared  very  little 
for  his  excommunication,  even  though  it  were  "  the 
last  and  highest  act  of  the  Church's  censure."  He 
thinks  that  the  chancels,  at  all  events,  might  be  put 
in  repair,  as  the  rector  in  each  case  was  liable  for  the 
work.  In  the  case  of  impropriate  parishes  the  lay 
rectors  could  be  compelled  by  the  King,  "  by  suing 
them  on  the  clauses  and  covenants  in  their  patents  ;  " 
and  where  the  rector  was  a  clergyman,  the  bishop 
could  proceed  by  sequestrating  the  "  issues  and 
profits  "  of  his  living.  Voluntary  effort,  which  has 
become  such  a  feature  in  modern  church  life,  does  not 
seem  to  have  suggested  itself  to  his  mind  at  all. 

He  then  goes  on  to  detail  the  causes  why  there  were 
so  many  non-resident  clergymen.  He  gives  six 
reasons  :  first,  the  smallness  of  the  livings,  not  able 
each  to  maintain  a  resident  minister  ;  second,  the  want 
of  Protestants  to  come  to  church  ;  third,  the  want  of 
glebes  in  some  places,  and  in  all,  the  decay  of  the  manse 
houses,  by  the  frequent  wars  in  this  kingdom  ;  fourth, 
the  unequal  distribution  of  livings,  which  being  in  the 

VOL.   II.  C 


18  HISTORY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

hands  of  several  patrons,  are  not  disposed  by  them 
with  respect  to  their  contiguity,  or  the  convenience 
of  the  parishioners  ;  fifth,  defects  and  faults  in  the 
faculties ;  and  sixth,  the  narrow  bounds  and  limits  of 
several  parishes. 

He  dwells  at  considerable  length  on  all  these  six 
points.  Anyone  who  knows  the  Diocese  of  Meath 
will  recognize  at  once  that  several  of  these  difficulties 
might  have  been  overcome  by  a  judicious  union  of 
parishes,  and  Dopping  himself  was  strongly  of  this 
way  of  thinking.  Unfortunately,  there  were  serious 
obstacles  in  the  way.  He  tells  us  that  in  the  reign 
of  Charles  II.  an  Act  was  passed  to  facilitate  the  union 
of  parishes,  but,  he  says,  "  it  proved  a  remedy  almost 
as  bad  as  the  disease  ;  for  the  incumbents  being  at 
the  charge  of  the  unions,  they  fixed  on  such  as  were 
most  for  their  profit  and  advantage,  or  else  would  not 
pass  them  ;  by  means  whereof  some  parishes  are  left 
without  unions,  and  others  are  too  large,  and  the 
inhabitants  dwelling  too  far  from  the  parish  church." 
When  a  union  was  formed,  it  was  clearly  the  intention 
that  the  new  parish  should  provide  sufficient  income 
for  the  incumbent,  so  that  he  would  be  under  no 
temptation  to  accept  other  cures,  the  duty  of  which 
he  would  not  be  able  to  accomplish.  Some  clergymen, 
however,  had  obtained  faculties  which  enabled  them 
to  hold  two  of  these  unions,  and  thus  the  evil,  so  far 
from  being  remedied,  was  only  intensified  by  the 
attempt  made  to  cope  with  it. 

According  to  Dopping,  a  great  deal  of  church 
property  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  had  been  lost  to  the 
Church,  "  partly  from  alienations  formerly  made, 
partly  from  non-residence  of  the  clergy  in  former  times, 
and  the  many  revolutions  and  troubles  in  this 
kingdom."  He  tells  us  also  that  a  considerable  portion 


BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN          19 

of  church  land  in  Meath  had  been  included  in  the 
forfeited  estates,  and  had  thus  passed  into  other  hands. 
The  bishop  complains  that  the  Lord  Lieutenant  and 
Council  had  given  orders  to  the  Commissioners  of  the 
Court  of  Claims  "  that  all  lands  belonging  to  the  Church 
and  others  that  were  not  returned  in  the  Civil  or  Down 
Survey  to  be  their  property,  were  to  be  deemed  as 
forfeited,  and  vested  in  his  Majesty,  to  the  uses  of  the 
Act ;  by  means  whereof,  their  glebes  being  small  in  most 
places — in  some  not  exceeding  two  acres,  and  in  many 
not  being  full  one — were  surveyed  among  the  rest  of 
the  forfeited  lands  as  part  of  them,  and  no  return  made 
in  the  surveys  of  the  Church's  right,  and  so  the  ancient 
glebes  are  lost  for  ever,  and  the  small  pittance  of  glebes 
that  still  remain  and  is  mentioned  in  the  surveys  is  in 
danger  to  be  lost  by  the  clergy's  non-residence." 

The  following  are  Dopping's  ideas  as  to  how  the 
"  want  of  Protestants  to  come  to  church  "  might  be 
supplied.  He  says  : — 

To  remedy  the  want  of  Protestants,  the  putting  the  Acts 
against  recusants  (i  Eliz.)  strictly  into  execution  would  be 
very  proper.  By  it,  every  one  without  cause  absenting  from 
Common  Prayer  was  to  pay  twelve  pence  a  Sunday,  which  was 
executed  during  all  her  reign  and  the  reign  of  King  James, 
and  some  time  in  the  beginning  of  King  Charles  I.,  but  relaxed 
on  reasons  of  state,  which  proved  the  decay  of  the  Protestant 
religion  in  this  kingdom.  This  would  be  a  means  to  get  the 
King  money,  and  the  penalty  is  so  easy  that  the  recusant 
would  have  no  just  reason  to  complain  of  it.  Secondly,  by 
heartily  endeavouring  the  conversion  of  the  natives  and  the 
bringing  them  over  to  our  communion,  wherein  the  state  must 
concur  as  well  as  the  clergy.  Thirdly,  by  sending  missionary 
preachers  to  preach  to  them  in  the  Irish  tongue.  Fourthly, 
by  erecting  English  schools,  and  appointing  salaries  to  the 
masters  of  them,  to  instruct  them  gratis  in  the  English  tongue, 
and  obliging  the  masters  to  teach  them  the  principles  of  religion, 
as  well  as  the  English  language.  There  was  a  statute  passed 
in  this  kingdom  to  that  purpose  (28  H.  8,  c,  15),  obliging  every 


2O  HISTORY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

beneficed  minister  to  keep  an  English  school,  and  obliging 
the  bishop  to  give  them  the  oath  about  it  before  institution 
(which  the  bishops  do)  ;  but  the  work  is  not  done,  partly  by 
the  clergy's  fault,  who  have  other  things  to  mind,  but  more 
especially  by  the  want  of  a  penalty  in  the  statute,  obliging  the 
Irish  to  send  their  children  to  them.      Fifthly,   by  banishing 
their  clergy,  both  regular  and  secular,  there  being  little  hopes 
of  converting  the  people  whilst  they  are  suffered  in  the  kingdom. 
Sixthly,  by  suppressing  Popish  school-masters,  especially  such 
as  teach  Latin,  for  these  men  train  up  their  children  for  very 
little  to  the  Latin  tongue,  till  they  are  fit  to  be  sent  abroad, 
where  they  are  maintained  out  of  charity,  or  by  begging,  till 
they  learn  philosophy,  and  know  how  to  read  Mass,  and  then 
they  are  put  into  Orders,  and  sent  back  as  missionaries.     The 
late  Act  of  Uniformity  (17  Car.  2,  c.  6)  might  put  some  stop 
to  this  if  it  were  pursued,  but  the  justices  of  peace  and  the 
gentlemen  of  the  country  are  the  persons  that  encourage  them, 
because  they  can  get  their  children  taught  for  little  by  them 
in  their  houses. 

The  appointment  of  rural  deans  had  gone  out  of 
use,  and  Bishop  Dopping  proposes  to  restore  them, 
so  that  they  may  "  inspect  the  manners  of  the  clergy 
and  people,  and  certify  the  bishop  of  all  emergencies," 
he  would  also  have  them  "  keep  their  rural  chapters 
as  anciently  they  did."  And  he  would  further  not 
allow  any  clergyman  to  hold  parishes  in  two  rural 
deaneries,  "  much  less  in  several  dioceses."  He  has 
many  other  good  suggestions  about  the  building  of 
residences,  and  compelling  the  clergy  to  reside  in  them, 
and  several  other  points,  which  show  that  he  had 
thought  much  on  these  subjects.  The  pity  was  that 
so  few  of  the  suggestions  were  ever  translated  into 
action. 

It  will  be  noted  that  among  other  things,  Dopping 
advocated  the  sending  of  mission  preachers  among 
the  people,  who  would  endeavour  to  reach  the  masses 
by  speaking  to  them  in  the  Irish  tongue.  This  was 
a  subject  in  which  he  seems  to  have  taken  a  special 


BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN          21 

interest.  Some  years  previously  the  Honourable 
Robert  Boyle — "  honourable  by  descent  and  parentage, 
more  to  be  honoured  for  his  intellectual  and  moral 
endowments  ;  still  more  worthy  of  honour  as  the  great 
Christian  philosopher,  who  laboured  to  advance  the 
truth  and  glory  of  God  "  2 — took  the  work  in  hand 
of  publishing  the  Bible  in  Irish,  and  by  his  influence, 
caused  many  of  his  fellow  churchmen  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  project.  Amongst  those  who  helped, 
alike  with  advice  and  money,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
Dopping  took  a  prominent  part,  and  when  the  book  was 
at  length  published,  the  Preface  was  from  the  bishop's 
pen.  Several  letters  are  preserved,  discussing  the 
business  arrangements,  and  it  appears  that  five 
hundred  copies  of  the  Testament  were  printed,  at  a 
cost  of  four  hundred  pounds.  This  amount  was 
raised  by  subscription,  and  each  subscriber  received 
a  proportionate  number  of  copies,  according  to  the 
amount  of  his  contribution.  Many  of  the  subscriptions 
were  obtained  at  the  personal  solicitation  of  Bishop 
Dopping.  When  the  book  was  issued,  he  wrote  to 
Lady  Ranelagh,  expressing  his  approval  of  it .3 

In  the  troubles  of  that  time,  it  is  to  be  feared 
that  the  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  lost  instead 
of  gaining,  for  some  of  her  members  had  not  the 
courage  of  their  convictions,  and  in  the  time  of  trial 
apostatized  from  the  faith.  When  peace  was  restored, 
however,  many  of  them  sought  reconciliation,  and 
for  these,  as  well  as  for  converts  from  Romanism, 
Dopping  drew  up  a  form  of  service,  which  was  entitled, 
"  A  Form  for  Receiving  Lapsed  Protestants,  and 
Reconciling  Converted  Papists  to  our  Church."  This 
form  was  for  many  years  bound  up  with  the  Irish 
Prayer  Book,  though  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been 

5  Mant.  3  Dopping  Correspondence. 


22  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

ever  sanctioned  either  by  convocation  or  synod.  It 
directs  the  clergyman  of  the  parish  to  send  the  convert 
to  the  bishop  with  an  "  Abrenunciation  of  Popery," 
of  which  three  forms  are  given,  one  for  ordinary 
persons,  another  for  persons  of  more  liberal  education, 
and  a  third  for  priests  or  such  as  are  likely  to  teach 
others.  On  this  document  being  signed,  the  registrar 
is  directed  to  give  a  certificate  to  the  convert,  for  which 
he  is  to  charge  one  shilling  and  no  more,  and  if  he  be 
unwilling  or  unable  to  pay,  "  the  bishop  will  take  care 
it  be  paid  for  him." 

Armed  with  this  certificate,  the  convert,  having 
given  notice  a  week  previously  to  the  minister,  is 
brought  up  to  the  reading  desk  "  by  the  church- 
wardens, or  two  grave  discreet  parishioners  or  Christian 
neighbours."  The  clergyman  appeals  to  the  con- 
gregation to  declare  if  any  impediment  exists  why  the 
convert  should  not  be  received,  and  then  charges 
the  man  himself  to  disclose  any  unworthy  motive  which 
may  be  influencing  him  to  take  this  step.  After  that 
the  convert  recites  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and  reads  the 
"  Schedule  of  his  Penance,"  in  which  he  acknowledges 
his  fault,  and  asks  for  reconciliation.  Then  the 
minister  asks  the  people  to  pray  for  the  convert,  and 
some  versicles  and  collects  follow,  after  which  comes 
the  Absolution,  given  with  the  laying  on  of  hands  : 
"  Our  Lord  Jesus,  who  hath  commanded  that  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins  should  be  published  in  His  name 
among  all  nations,  of  His  great  mercy  give  unto  thee 
true  repentance,  and  forgive  thee  all  thy  sins.  And 
I  His  minister,  by  the  authority  committed  unto  me, 
do  absolve  thee  from  all  ecclesiastical  censures  which 
thou  hast  or  mayest  have  incurred  by  reason  of  thy 
former  errors,  schisms,  and  heresies,  and  I  restore  thee 
to  the  full  communion  of  the  Catholic  Church.  In  the 


BISHOP  DOPPING'S  VISITATION  RETURN          23 

Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Amen."  The  Service  concludes  with  the 
Blessing. 

Bishop  Dopping  continued  to  rule  the  Diocese  of 
Meath  until  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1697.  In 
his  last  years,  however,  he  had  become  somewhat 
infirm,  and  was  afflicted  with  deafness.  As  we  have 
seen,  too,  he  was  under  the  discountenance  of  the 
government.  If  he  had  been  a  younger  man  he  might 
possibly  have  carried  out  some  of  those  reforms  the 
need  of  which  he  insists  on  in  these  observations. 
As  it  was,  he  had  not  the  energy  to  do  much,  and  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  for  some  years  before  his  death  the 
diocese  was  without  that  strong  ruling  hand  which 
it  needed  so  much.  Archbishop  King — (but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  he  was  accused  of  being  "  a 
positive  opinionated  man,  wedded  to  his  own  way  ") — 
makes  a  curious  comparison  between  himself  and 
Bishop  Dopping.  He  says  : — 

I  remember  an  understanding  and  sincere  friend  once 
ingenuously  told  me  that  I  was  too  rough  and  positive  in  my 
treating  my  clergy,  and  proposed  to  me  the  example  of  the 
late  Bishop  of  Meath,  Doctor  Dopping,  a  person  who  was  in 
truth  much  better  skilled  in  the  laws  and  constitutions  of  the 
Church  than  I  was,  had  the  good  thereof  as  much  at  heart  as 
any  man  could  have,  was  of  a  meek  and  gentle  spirit,  and 
managed  all  things  with  mildness  and  gentle  persuasion.  I 
asked  my  friend  whether  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
Dioceses  of  Meath  and  Deny,  and  desired  him  to  tell  me 
whether  of  them  he  thought  in  best  condition,  as  to  churches 
built  and  repaired,  as  to  the  progress  of  conformity,  service 
of  the  cures,  and  flourishing  of  the  clergy  as  to  their  temporals. 
He  freely  owned  that  Deny  was  in  a  much  better  condition 
as  to  all  these,  and  that  it  was  due  to  the  care  that  I  had  taken. 
To  which  I  replied  that  he  knew  that  the  churches  had  been 
more  destroyed  in  Deny,  and  the  state  of  the  clergy  and 
conformity  more  disturbed  and  wasted  than  in  any  place  of 
Ireland  ;  and  yet  in  five  or  six  years  that  I  had  been  there  bishop 


24  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

it  was  put  in  a  better  posture'  by  the  methods  I  took,  than 
Meath  was  in  fifteen  by  the  bishop's  ;  and  that  he  might  judge 
by  that  which  of  the  two  were  best. 

From  this  we  may  gather  that  Dopping  was  of  a 
particularly  amiable  disposition,  slow  to  censure — 
perhaps  too  slow — and  ready  to  let  things  pass  rather 
than  speak  an  angry  word.  With  such  a  disposition, 
we  are  not  surprised  to  learn  that  when  he  was  first 
raised  to  the  episcopate  his  old  parishioners  in  Dublin 
presented  him  with  a  piece  of  plate  as  a  token  of  their 
esteem.  Such  a  presentation  meant  more  then  than 
it  would  now,  for  the  act  was  not  then  as  usual  as 
it  has  since  become.  King  seems  to  suggest  that  he 
lacked  force  of  character.  The  recorded  incidents 
of  his  life  do  not  give  us  such  an  idea  of  him.  On  the 
contrary,  he  appears  as  a  courageous  man,  who  stood 
his  ground  and  did  not  desert  his  post  during  all  the 
troubles  of  the  Revolution.  Judging  by  the  records 
he  has  left,  we  would  say  that  he  was  energetic  in  the 
administration  of  his  diocese.  Very  possibly  his  case 
was  of  that  kind  which  so  often  happens  in  this  world  : 
in  the  weakness  of  his  declining  years  the  strength  of 
his  years  of  vigour  was  forgotten.  It  was  rather  unfair 
for  a  comparatively  young  man  like  King  to  compare 
himself  with  one  whose  life  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
the  infirmities  of  whose  age  were  to  a  great  extent 
caused  by  the  sufferings  that  he  had  endured  in  defence 
of  the  Church. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

UPON  the  death  of  Bishop  Dopping,  there  was  con- 
siderable anxiety  in  the  minds  of  those  who  had  the 
welfare  of  the  Church  at  heart  as  to  the  appointment 
of  his  successor.  Those  were  days  in  which  political 
motives  counted  for  much,  and  when  the  men  who  had 
strong  interest  at  court  could  generally  obtain  any 
position  that  they  desired  ;  but  the  suitability  of  the 
candidate  was  often  one  of  the  last  things  that  was 
considered.  The  name  of  Bishop  Fitzgerald  of  Clonfert 
was  very  freely  mentioned,  and  many  were  of  opinion 
that  if  he  were  translated  to  Meath  it  would  prove 
disastrous  to  the  diocese.  We  have  few  particulars 
about  him,  but  we  know  that  he  was  not  highly  thought 
of  by  his  contemporaries.  When  he  was  consecrated 
to  Clonfert,  Archbishop  Marsh  of  Cashel  wrote  in  his 
diary,  "  In  which  consecration  I  have  had  no  hand  ; 
the  Lord's  Name  be  praised  for  it  !  nor  may  I  ever 
be  concerned  in  bringing  unworthy  men  to  the  Church."1 
He  was,  besides,  an  old  man,  and  had  not  the  energy  for 
managing  a  diocese  like  Meath  at  such  a  time,  even 
if  he  had  been  otherwise  suitable. 

Bishop  King  of  Derry,  who  was  in  many  ways  the 
leading  churchman  of  the  time,  was  very  much 
exercised  about  the  appointment,  and  spoke  of  Bishop 
Fitzgerald  as  "  the  weakest  of  the  order,  and  having 
no  qualification  to  recommend  him."  He  also 

»Mant. 


20  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

addressed  a  letter  to  Sir  Robert  Southwell  on  the 
subject,  which,  as  it  throws  a  good  deal  of  light  on  the 
condition  of  Meath  at  that  time,  may  here  be  given. 
It  is  as  follows  : — 

L:derry,  April  2Qth,  1697. 
Sir, 

I  am  very  unwilling  to  give  you  any  trouble  except  it 
be  on  necessary  occasions,  and  I  look  on  the  present  as 
eminently  so.  I  understand  by  my  letters  from  Dublin, 
which  I  left  on  the  twentieth  instant,  that  since  my  coming 
from  thence  it  has  pleased  God  to  remove  the  Bishop  of  Meath, 
a  most  useful  and  eminent  pillar  of  our  Church,  before  his  late 
impairment  by  sickness,  and  in  particular  my  friend  and 
assistant,  upon  whose  advice  I  would  rely  in  matters  of 
moment.  Tis  of  the  last  consequence  to  the  Church  here, 
and  to  his  Majesty's  service,  that  that  place  be  supplied  with 
a  proper  person.  I  will  therefore  take  the  liberty  to  lay  the 
case  of  the  bishopric  before  you,  and  doubt  not  but  you  will 
do  in  this,  as  I  have  ever  found  you  to  do  heretofore  ;  I  mean, 
improve  the  intimations  I  give  you  to  the  best  advantage. 

The  Bishopric  of  Meath  is  the  first  in  the  kingdom,  as 
London  is  in  England,  and  takes  place  next  to  the  archbishops, 
but  it  is  much  inferior  in  value  to  many  of  them.  The  bishop 
is  usually  of  the  Privy  Council,  and  resides  in  Dublin.  We 
have  at  present  these  clergymen  of  the  Privy  Council,  the 
Lord  Primate,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  the  Bishop  of  Kildare, 
and  Bishop  of  Cloyne  ;  and  the  Bishop  of  Meath  was  likewise 
of  it ;  and  yet  the  church  interest  was  very  weak  there,  for  the 
Lord  Primate  is  disabled,  and  never  appeareth  ;  the  Bishop 
of  Meath  was  under  the  discountenance  of  the  government, 
and  besides,  by  the  infirmity  of  his  hearing  and  other  defects, 
could  be  but  little  serviceable  for  these  last  years  ;  and  the 
Archbishop  of  Dublin  (though  an  excellent  person  and  a 
scholar)  yet  is  too  modest  and  unacquainted  with  the  world 
to  make  a  great  bustle,  without  which,  I  am  informed,  little 
is  done  there.  The  Bishop  of  Kildare  hath  likewise  his  dis- 
advantages ;  and  the  Bishop  of  Coyne  is  seldom  at  the  board, 
and  is  not  yet  in  so  great  authority  as  hereafter  he  will  be, 
by  reason  of  his  age.  So  that  upon  this  matter  the  church 
interest  at  the  council-table  depends  on  the  fit  choice  of  a 
person  to  fill  the  Bishopric  of  Meath. 


EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY        27 

There  are  some  such  (as  the  Bishop  of  Clogher)  that  would 
be  fit  for  it,  but  they  are  already  in  better  bishoprics,  and 
cannot,  without  imputation  of  imprudent  ambition,  accept  it. 
If  I  might  (between  you  and  me)  discover  my  sense,  I  think 
the  Bishop  of  Waterford  would  do  well  in  it ;  and  Dr.  Smith, 
Dean  of  St.  Patrick's,  that  attends  his  Majesty,  might  be  sent 
to  Waterford.  By  the  care  and  prudence  of  the  present 
bishop  that  diocese  is  put  in  tolerable  order,  as  I  observed  when 
there  last  summer  ;  and  it  is  a  good  testimony  of  the  bishop's 
prudence  that  he  governed  a  parish  in  Dublin  for  fourteen 
years  in  very  difficult  times,  with  the  greatest  love  and  highest 
approbation  of  his  parishioners,  and  has  now  with  the  same 
success  governed  for  five  or  six  years  his  diocese.  .  .  . 

I  have  one  consideration  more  to  press  for  the  putting 
the  Bishop  of  Waterford  into  the  post,  and  'tis  the  great 
disorder  in  which  the  Diocese  of  Meath  is.  'Tis  one  of  the 
largest  in  Ireland,  consisting  anciently  of  five  bishoprics,  at 
least  sixty  miles  long,  in  an  excellent  country  ;  but  the  lands 
were  mostly  made  away  or  exchanged  for  tithes  about  the 
Reformation  ;  the  rest  of  the  tithes  are  generally  impropriate 
and  many  parishes  must  be  united  to  make  a  competency. 
The  late  bishop,  being  infirm  since  the  Revolution,  was  not 
able  to  look  to  the  cures  as  was  necessary,  and  there  needs  an 
active,  vigorous,  and  skilful  person  to  put  them  in  order,  such 
as  the  Bishop  of  Waterford  ;  and  I  hope  you  will  use  your 
endeavour  to  place  him  or  some  such  there.  I  am  now  to  beg 
your  pardon  for  this  trouble,  but,  lest  I  should  increase  it,  I 
will  conclude  with  my  hearty  prayers  for  you,  and  the  humblest 
respects  of, 

Sir,  yours,  &c., 

W.  D. 

To  Sir  Robert  Southwell.  2 

Bishop  King  was  mistaken  in  supposing  that  the 
Bishop  of  Clogher  would  not  be  willing  to  accept  the 
See  of  Meath.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  was  appointed 
to  be  Dopping's  successor,  and  accepted  the  post,  for 
though  inferior  in  revenue  to  Clogher,  the  Bishopric 
of  Meath  was  higher  in  dignity,  it  was  more  convenient 
to  the  metropolis,  and  it  carried  with  it  a  seat  in  the 

"Mant. 


28  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Privy  Council.  Richard  Tennison,  who  now  succeeded, 
was  first  raised  to  the  episcopate  as  Bishop  of  Killala. 
From  thence  he  fled  during  the  troubles  of  the 
Revolution,  and  for  a  time  undertook  the  cure  of  souls 
in  a  London  parish.  After  the  defeat  of  King  James 
he  was  once  more  brought  back  to  Ireland,  and  was 
appointed  to  the  See  of  Clogher,  where  he  distinguished 
himself  as  a  preacher  and  as  a  diligent  worker  in  his 
diocese.  He  was  appointed  to  Meath  in  1697,  and 
continued  to  occupy  the  See  until  1705.  At  his  death, 
"he  set  a  valuable  example  to  his  brethren  and  his 
successors,  by  bequeathing  a  sum  of  money  to  the  Lord 
Primate  for  the  purchase  of  land,  to  serve  as  the 
foundation  for  a  fund,  to  which  he  expressed  his  hope 
that  the  bishops  of  the  kingdom  would  make  additions, 
for  the  maintenance  of  clergymen's  widows  and 
orphans."  3 

The  appointment  of  Bishop  Tennison  marks  a  new 
epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  It 
inaugurated  the  time  of  restoration,  in  which  an  attempt 
was  made  to  repair  the  breaches  caused  by  the  many 
troubles  which  for  so  many  years  had  afflicted  the 
Church.  If  Bishop  Dopping  had  been  a  younger  man, 
no  doubt  he  would  have  taken  this  work  in  hand,  but 
the  infirmities  of  age  prevented  him,  and  it  was  there- 
fore left  to  his  successor.  Churches  which  had  long 
continued  in  ruin  were  now  rebuilt,  and  in  some  cases 
the  opportunity  was  taken  of  removing  them  to  a  more 
convenient  site.  The  funds  were  obtained  partly 
from  impropriate  rectories  which  had  been  forfeited 
by  their  lay  owners,  on  account  of  their  opposition  to 
the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  which  were  now  in  some 
cases  applied  in  this  way  ;  and  partly  from  the  bene- 
factions of  churchmen,  who  began  to  take  a  greater 


»Mant. 


EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY        29 

interest  in  their  Church  than  before.  There  were 
instances,  too,  of  new  endowments  being  given  to 
parishes  by  private  donors,  so  that  we  may  fairly  say 
that  the  opening  years  of  the  eighteenth  century  mark 
for  us  the  beginning  of  better  things. 

The  names  of  these  benefactors  who  came  to  the 
help  of  the  Church,  and  assisted  in  repairing  her 
breaches,  have  been  for  the  most  part  lost  in  oblivion. 
At  the  present  time  Trim  is  the  best  endowed  parish 
in  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  The  endowment  dates  from 
about  this  period,  when  the  lands  of  Dunleivers, 
containing  222  acres  36  perches,  were  bequeathed  to 
Doctor  John  Crookshanke,  Vicar  of  Trim,  with  suc- 
cession to  the  vicars  of  Trim  for  ever,  by  a  Cromwellian 
"  debenturer,"  whose  name  remains  unknown,  though 
the  fruit  of  his  deeds  is  still  being  reaped. 4  An 
equivalent  for  this  property  was  claimed  at  the  time 
of  disestablishment  as  a  private  endowment,  and  has 
been  secured  to  the  parish. 

Another  example  may  be  taken  from  the  Parish  of 
Castlelost.  Prime  Iron  Rochfort  was,  as  his  Christian 
names  suggest,  a  Puritan  soldier.  He  was  a  lieutenant 
colonel  in  Cromwell's  army,  but  was  executed  for 
killing  one  Major  Turner  in  a  duel  which  he  fought 
in  1652.  His  son,  Robert  Rochfort,  purchased 
property  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Castlelost,  which 
continues  to  be  in  possession  of  his  family  to  the  present 
day.  He  was  a  man  eminent  in  his  time,  having  been 
speaker  of  the  Irish  House  of  Commons  in  1695,  and  Chief 
Baron  of  the  Exchequer  in  1707.  He  took  a  great 
interest  in  Castlelost  parish,  and  built,  in  his  own 
demesne  at  Gaulstown,  "  a  very  beautiful  church, 
wainscoted,  painted,  seated,  and  flagged,  and  furnished 
with  all  necessaries  in  the  most  decent  manner,  all 

*  Butler,  Trim  Castle. 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

at  his  own  charge."  He  also  endowed  the  parish. 
In  acquiring  the  property  he  had  become 
"  impropriator "  of  the  rectory,  and  was  therefore 
owner  of  the  tithes,  but  he  conveyed  them  to  the 
bishop  of  the  diocese  for  the  use  of  the  perpetual  curate.s 
The  parishioners  in  this  case  were  not  so  fortunate  as 
those  of  Trim,  for  when  the  church  was  disendowed 
no  one  seems  to  have  been  aware  of  this  benefaction, 
and  it  was  assumed  that  the  tithes  of  the  parish  had 
been  handed  down  to  it  from  pre-reformation  times. 
Consequently,  no  claim  was  made  until  many  years 
after  the  time  laid  down  in  the  Irish  Church  Act,  and 
even  after  the  extension  of  that  time  which  had  been 
made  by  the  Representative  Church  Body.  In  the 
meantime,  the  balance  of  the  amount  awarded  to  the 
the  church  in  lieu  of  private  endowments  had  been 
applied  to  other  purposes,  as  it  was  not  expected  that 
any  other  claims  could  be  made.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  parish  could  only  obtain  a  sum  of 
£646  8s.  8d.,  which  still  remained  unappropriated,  and 
which  was  voted  as  a  special  act  of  grace  by  the 
General  Synod  of  1902.  If  the  claim  had  been  made 
in  time,  an  income  of  about  two  hundred  pounds  a 
year  would  have  been  secured  to  the  parish. 

Under  Queen  Anne  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  Church,  was  enriched  by  the 
remission  of  the  old  papal  imposts  of  "  first-fruits  " 
and  "  twentieth  parts."  The  former  was  applied  to  the 
purchase  of  glebes  and  the  building  of  houses,  and  the 
latter  was  granted  to  the  individual  clergymen  by 
whom  they  would  have  been  payable.  It  was  Doctor 
Swift,  then  vicar  of  Laracor,  and  afterwards  famous 
as  Dean  of  Saint  Patrick's,  who  conducted  the  nego- 
tiations which  led  to  these  benefits  being  granted 

*  State  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  1733,  MS.  in  Record  Office,  Dublin. 


EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY       3! 

to  the  Church.6  Under  the  same  queen  the  tithes  of 
some  impropriate  parishes  were  restored  to  the  Church, 
the  impropriators  having  been  deprived  for  rebellion. 
In  this  way  the  vicarages  were  endowed  of  Dunamore, 
Ratoath,  Culmullin,  Moyglare,  and  Kilcormuck 
(Frankford). 

Nor  was  it  only  in  material  ways  that  the  Church 
prospered.  Her  bishops  became  more  active  than 
before,  and  this  in  turn  reacted  on  the  clergy.  King, 
now  become  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  writing  to  one  of 
his  suffragans  in  1706,  says  : — "  I  do  own  that  the 
clergy  are  altered  as  to  their  demeanour  towards  their 
bishops  of  late,  of  which  several  reasons  may  be  given  ; 
one  particularly  is,  the  bishops  being  altered  towards 
them.  Time  was  when  they  were  left  to  themselves, 
and  might  do,  or  not,  their  duty  as  they  pleased.  But 
of  late  some  bishops  have  begun  to  look  more  narrowly 
into  their  practice,  and  to  press  their  duty  on  them."  ^ 

The  archbishop  seemed  to  think  that  the  clergy 
resented  the  interference  of  the  bishops.  No  doubt, 
this  may  have  been  true  in  some  instances,  but  we 
may  be  sure  that  the  greater  part  loyally  seconded  the 
efforts  that  were  being  made  to  infuse  new  life  into 
the  Church. 

Bishop  Tennison  did  not  long  retain  the  See  of 
Meath,  as  he  died  in  1705.  He  was  succeeded  by 
William  Moreton,  who  had  been  already  Bishop  of 
Kildare,  and  who  continued  in  the  See  until  1715. 
We  have  little  or  no  record  of  his  episcopate.  On  his 
death  it  would  appear  that  the  Rev.  John  Law  was 
appointed.  He  had  been  Rector  of  Monaghan  from 
1712,  and  was  of  a  Scotch  family.  He  died  soon  after 
his  appointment  to  Meath,  before  he  was  enthroned, 

•  Shirley's  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Endowments  of  the  Church  of  Inland, 
published  in  the  appendix  to  the  Report  of  the  Royal  Commission,  1868. 
7  Mant. 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

and  it  does  not  appear  whether  he  was  ever  actually 
consecrated.8 

There  is  a  curious  story  told  which  would  seem 
to  connect  the  Jansenist  Church  of  Holland  with  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,  just  about  this  time.  In  the  early 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Jansenists  wer2 
without  a  bishop,  in  consequence  of  the  refusal  of  the 
Pope  to  allow  consecrations  to  the  vacant  Sees,  and 
at  one  time  it  seemed  as  if  their  episcopate  would 
become  entirely  extinct.  It  was  necessary  for  them, 
therefore,  to  make  some  provision  for  the  ordination 
of  their  priests.  They  made  application  to  various 
prelates  in  vain,  but  at  length  are  said  to  have 
approached  Luke  Fagan,  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop 
of  Meath,  and  found  in  him  one  who  was  willing  to 
accede  to  their  wishes.  Accordingly  twelve  candidates 
for  the  priesthood  were  sent  over,  and  these  were 
ordained  by  Bishop  Fagan,  one  of  them  being  Peter 
John  Meindarrts,  who  became  afterwards  Jansenist 
Archbishop  of  Utrecht.  Bishop  Fagan  required  all 
twelve  to  promise  that  they  would  never  reveal  the 
circumstances  of  their  ordination  during  his  life, 
and  to  a  certain  extent  the  secret  was  kept.  It  came 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  authorities  at  Rome,  however, 
that  such  an  ordination  had  taken  place,  though  the 
information  received  was  not  sufficient  to  indicate 
any  particular  bishop.  Fagan,  in  the  meantime,  had 
become  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  the  Pope  wrote  to 
him,  telling  of  the  rumours  that  had  come  to  his  ears, 
and  asking  him  to  ascertain  if  they  were  well  founded 
or  otherwise.  The  Archbishop  thereupon  formally 
asked  each  bishop  separately,  if  he  had  taken  part  in 
this  ordination,  and  as  they  all  very  naturally  denied  it, 

8  Pedigree  of  the  Law  Family,  quoted  in  letter  to  the  author  from  the  Rev. 
H.  L.  L.  Denny. 


EARLY  YEARS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY       33 

he  wrote  to  the  Pope,  and  informed  him,  that  after 
examination  he  was  persuaded  that  none  of  those 
bishops  of  whom  he  had  inquired  was  the  guilty 
party. 

A  story  of  this  kind  is  manifestly  difficult  of  verifica- 
tion, and  it  is  easy  to  raise  many  objections  against  it. 
It  has  therefore  been  rejected  by  Cardinal  Moran,  and 
other  Roman  Catholic  writers.  It  is  not  for  us  to 
decide.  We  simply  give  the  story  as  it  has  been  handed 
down. 

The  next  bishop  in  order  was  John  Evans,  who  was 
translated  from  the  See  of  Bangor.  Archbishop  King 
did  not  approve  of  this  appointment,  for  in  reference 
to  it  he  says  :  "  What  signifies  the  interest  of  a  diocese 
to  the  advantage  of  a  friend  that  is  to  be  preferred  ?  " 
He  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  political  partizan. 
He,  however,  proved  in  the  end  a  munificent  benefactor 
of  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  By  his  will  he  left  part  of 
his  estate  "  for  building,  if  not  built  by  himself, 
according  to  his  intention,  an  episcopal  house  at 
Ardbraccan  ;  "  and  part  "  for  purchasing  glebes  and 
impropfiiate  tithes  for  the  benefit  and  endowment  of 
the  several  churches  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  in  the 
sole  donation  of  the  bishops  of  that  See."  9  This 
latter  portion  of  the  bequest,  having  been  secured 
to  the  diocese  at  the  time  of  disestablishment  as  a 
"  private  endowment,"  has  enabled  a  sum  of  £2,304 
ys.  5d.  to  be  spent  on  the  repurchase  of  glebes,  and 
now  provides,  besides,  a  yearly  income  of  £536  8s.  nd., 
part  of  which  is  appropriated  to  certain  parishes,  and 
part  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  bishop. 

Bishop  Evans  died  in  1724,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Henry  Dowries,  who  was  translated  from  Elphin. 
He,  however,  did  not  remain  long  in  Meath,  for  he 

9  Mant. 

VOL.  ii.  r> 


34  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

was  translated  to  Deny  in  1727.  Ralph  Lambert 
next  succeeded.  He  was,  like  most  of  the  bishops  of 
that  day,  an  Englishman,  and  had  come  over  to  Ireland 
as  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of  Wharton.  In  1717  he  was 
raised  to  the  episcopate  as  Bishop  of  Dromore,  and  in 
1727  was  translated  to  Meath.  He  met  his  death  five 
years  later  by  accident.  He  trod  on  his  gown  as  he 
was  stepping  out  of  his  coach  at  his  own  door,  and  fell, 
breaking  his  arm.  He  lingered  for  a  little  while, 
but  never  recovered  from  the  shock. 

If  Dean  Swift  is  to  be  believed,  all  these  appoint- 
ments were  made  from  political  motives.  He  says, 
that  "  from  the  highest  prelate  to  the  lowest  vicar, 
there  were  hardly  ten  clergymen  throughout  the  whole 
kingdom,  for  more  than  nineteen  years  preceding 
1733,  who  had  not  been  either  preferred  entirely  upon 
account  of  their  declared  affection  to  the  Hanover  line, 
or  higher  promoted  as  the  due  reward  of  the  same 
merit."  This  is,  let  us  hope,  somewhat  of  an 
exaggeration.  At  the  same  time  there  was,  no  doubt, 
a  good  deal  of  truth  in  the  assertion,  and  it  must  have 
had  a  most  deleterious  effect  on  the  efficiency  of  the 
Church.  Yet  we  can  scarcely  say  that  the  time  was 
not  one  of  progress.  In  spite  of  non-residence, 
pluralities  and  carelessness,  the  work  of  God  seems 
to  have  been  carried  on,  and  men  were  learning  to 
realize  more  vividly  their  responsibilities  as  members 
of  the  Church.  Often,  no  doubt,  the  cure  of  souls  was 
left  to  some  poor  curate,  while  the  rich  incumbent 
spent  his  life  elsewhere  ;  but,  perhaps  the  parishes 
were  after  all  better  off  under  the  care  of  these  simple- 
minded  and  poor  but  devoted  men,  than  they  would 
have  been  had  the  rectors  themselves  performed  the 
duty  which  was  so  repugnant  to  their  own  tastes. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"  STATE  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH,"  UNDER  BISHOP 

ELLIS. 

THERE  is  a  manuscript  in  the  Public  Record  Office, 
Dublin,  formerly  preserved  in  the  Registry  of  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,  which  gives  an  account  of  every 
parish  in  the  diocese,  with  many  interesting  details. 
There  is  no  date,  but  an  official  of  the  Record  Office 
has  written  on  the  fly  leaf  the  following  note  : — 
"  This  book  seems  to  have  been  written  about  the  year 
1733,  from  the  dates  of  the  institution  of  some,  and  the 
death  of  others  of  the  incumbents  herein  mentioned." 
Assuming  this  to  be  correct,  we  have  in  this  return 
a  remembrance  of  the  brief  tenure  of  the  See  of  Meath 
by  Bishop  Welbore  Ellis. 

Doctor  Ellis  was  an  Englishman  who  had  been 
promoted  to  the  See  of  Kildare  in  1705.  On  the  death 
of  Bishop  Lambert  in  1732,  he  was  translated  to  the 
See  of  Meath,  which,  however,  he  held  only  till  the 
first  of  January,  1734,  when  he  died.  While  Bishop 
of  Kildare  he  had  held  in  commendam  the  Deanery  of 
Christ  Church,  Dublin,  and  when  he  died,  he  was 
buried  "  with  great  ceremony "  in  that  cathedral. 
'  The  funeral  procession,"  we  are  told,  "  was  composed 
of  the  boys  of  the  Blue  Coat  Hospital,  to  which  he 
had  bequeathed  one  hundred  pounds,  singing  psalms  ; 
forty-eight  clergymen  walking  before  the  hearse,  with 
scarves  and  hat  bands  ;  the  crozier  borne  before  the 


36  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

King  of  Arms,  who  carried  the  mitre  on  a  cushion  ; 
the  hearse  adorned  with  escutcheons,  and  attended 
by  the  coaches  of  the  Duke  of  Dorset,  Lord  Lieutenant, 
the  Primate,  the  Archbishops  of  Dublin  and  Cashel, 
and  many  other  lords  and  persons  of  distinction. 
The  appearance  of  the  crozier  and  mitre  gives  a  peculiar 
character  to  this  solemnity."  «  This  account  is 
quoted  from  Bishop  Mant's  History,  but  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  the  bishop  gives  us  no  information  of 
what  became  afterwards  of  the  crozier  and  mitre. 
This  seems  to  be  the  only  instance  of  their  use  that 
has  been  recorded  in  connection  with  the  Diocese  of 
Meath,  at  all  events  since  the  Reformation.  The 
way  in  which  Mant  draws  attention  to  them  would 
seem  to  show  that  they  were  then,  as  now,  unusual 
in  the  Irish  Church,  but  the  fact  of  their  being  used 
on  this  occasion  suggests  that  they  may  have  been  used 
at  other  times,  of  which  no  record  has  been  handed 
down. 

It  is  probable  that  this  "  Account  "  was  drawn 
up  for  the  information  of  the  bishop  shortly  after 
his  appointment.  It  is  very  full  in  the  description 
which  it  gives  of  the  diocese,  parish  by  parish,  and 
enables  us  to  obtain  a  fair  idea  of  how  things  were 
progressing  in  those  days. 

The  first  thing  that  invites  our  attention  is  that 
the  number  of  churches  available  for  public  worship 
had  very  much  increased  since  the  days  of  Bishop 
Dopping.  It  will  be  remembered  that  he  reported 
only  forty-three  churches  in  repair,  which  were  served 
by  fifty-five  clergymen.  In  Bishop  Ellis's  report 
we  find  that  there  are  at  least  seventy  churches  in  use, 
and  that  the  number  of  clergymen  had  increased  to 
eighty-one — this  latter  number  being  about  the  same 

»  Mant. 


"  STATE  OF  MEATH  "    UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS  37 

as  the  number  of  clergy  in  the  diocese  at  the  present 
time.  This  comparison  enables  us  to  measure  to  some 
extent  how  far  the  church  had  recovered  from  the 
long-continued  troubles  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
In  the  more  important  parishes  there  had  evidently 
been  a  good  work  of  restoration  going  on.  Of  Athboy, 
for  instance,  we  are  told,  "  The  church  of  this  union, 
which  is  in  the  town  of  Athboy,  is  in  very  decent  repair. 
'Tis  ceiled  and  the  isle  is  flagged.  There  is  a  decent 
pulpit  and  reading  desk,  and  the  church  is  seated 
throughout,  and  has  a  handsome  gallery  besides. 
There  is  a  font  of  stone,  and  the  Communion  Table 
decently  railed  in.  There  is  a  decent  carpet  (table- 
cover)  for  the  Communion,  a  chalice  and  patin  of  plate, 
and  flagon  of  pewter.  There  are  likewise  two  bells. 
The  churchyard  in  beautifull  order,  adorned  with 
walks  and  evergreens,  and  planted  with  trees,  and 
enclosed  with  a  good  stone  wall."  Of  Mullingar  he 
says  :  "  The  church  is  in  very  good  order,  and  furnished 
with  everything  necessary  for  the  celebration  of  Divine 
service.  The  chancel  is  in  repair,  but  not  used. 
'Tis  separated  from  the  body  of  the  church  by  a 
partition,  against  which  the  Communion  Table  is 
fixed.  The  churchyard  is  well  enclosed  with  a  stone 
wall,  and  planted  with  trees."  This  arrangement  of 
not  using  the  chancel  is  curious,  but  a  similar  state  of 
things  existed  in  Kells  church  up  to  the  time  of  dis- 
establishment. Nearly  all  the  larger  churches  are 
described  in  much  the  same  way,  and  we  may,  there- 
fore, conclude  they  were  on  the  whole  in  excellent 
condition. 

Many  of  the  smaller  churches  were  equally  well 

cared  for.     Stackallen,  for  instance,  is  thus  described  : 

'  The  roof  and  walls  are  good,  the  window  cases  are  of 

stone,   and    very  good  and  neat,  and  the  inside  of  the 


38  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

church  is  in  most  decent  order.  Tis  ceiled  and  flagged 
and  wainscoted.  There  is  a  decent  pulpit  and 
reading  desk,  and  convenient  seats  throughout.  There 
is  a  most  beautiful  table  of  polished  marble  for  the 
Communion,  handsomely  railed  in,  and  the  floor 
boarded  and  raised.  There  is  a  font  of  marble,  and  a 
chalice,  patin,  and  flagon  of  silver.  There  is  likewise 
a  good  bell  to  the  church,  and  the  churchyard  is  well 
enclosed  with  a  wall  of  stone  and  lime."  Of  Moynalty 
church  a  similar  good  report  is  given  :  '  The  church 
is  handsome  and  lofty ;  the  roof  and  walls  firm  and 
good.  It  is  well  flagged  and  furnished  with  decent 
seats,  a  font  of  stone,  a  Communion  Table  decently 
railed  in,  and  the  floor  raised  and  boarded."  In 
Clonard  the  church  was  in  ruin,  but  the  large  chancel 
(evidently  of  the  old  abbey  church)  was  used  instead 
of  it.  "  It  is  ceiled  and  flagged,  and  has  galleries, 
besides  a  decent  Communion  and  altar  piece.  The 
whole  inside  of  the  chancel  is  very  beautiful  and 
convenient." 

The  record  is  not  quite  so  good  in  every  case. 
Enniskeen  was  then,  as  now,  an  important  parish. 
It  had  fifty-two  families  of  church  people,  and  fifty- 
four  families  of  "  Protestant  dissenters."  The  church 
is  thus  described  :  "  The  church  is  roofed,  the  walls 
and  timber  good.  It  is  slated,  but  in  some  places 
stripped  by  the  winds  to  which  'tis  much  exposed. 
'Tis  very  spacious,  but  intirely  naked.  There  was 
a  pulpit,  but  taken  down  by  some  former  curate  as 
being  too  small.  No  reading  desk.  Only  one  seat, 
and  the  whole  floor  of  the  church  a  dirty  earthen  floor." 
The  bishop  was  himself  in  receipt  of  the  tithes  of  this 
parish,  and  we  might  have  expected  that  he  would 
have  seen  that  it  was  kept  in  decent  order,  but  it  was 
situated  on  the  confines  of  the  diocese,  and  apparently 


"  STATE  OF  MEATH       UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS          39 

was  more  or  less  forgotten.  A  few  other  churches, 
mostly  in  small  parishes,  are  spoken  of  as  in  bad 
condition.  For  example,  Nobber  church  was  "  not 
in  extraordinary  repair  ;  "  Balsoon  was  "  indecent ;  " 
Galtrim  was  "  not  very  tolerable  ;  "  Tara  "  not  extra- 
ordinary nor  in  extraordinary  repair ; "  Rathcore 
church  was  "  in  repair,  but  not  very  decent  ;  " 
Killochonnigan  had  a  "bad  church  and  thatched;" 
Rathmolyon  church  was  "  in  repair,  but  not  very 
decent  within ; "  Killallon,  "  thatched  and  in  bad 
order  ;  "  Castlerickard  church  was  in  "  sorry  order  ;  " 
Leney  was  "  in  very  indifferent  repair,  a  dirty 
earthen  floor,  the  Communion  table  not  railed  in,  no 
utensils."  One  is  tempted  by  the  quaint  way  in 
which  these  faults  are  described  to  quote  largely, 
but  the  real  fact  is  that  the  number  of  churches  thus 
condemned  is  after  all  comparatively  small.  Taken 
all  round,  it  may  be  said  that  the  churches  were  in 
tolerable  repair. 

As  to  church  furniture,  the  most  complete  account 
is  that  given  of  the  parish  of  Kells.  "  The  Com- 
munion table  is  railed  in,  but  the  place  is  too  scanty, 
and  admits  but  a  very  small  number  of  communicants. 
There  is  a  decent  carpet,  and  fair  linen  cloth  ;  a  silver 
chalice  and  patin,  and  two  flagons  of  pewter  ;  a  stone 
font,  a  surplice,  a  Bible,  two  Common  Prayer  Books, 
a  Book  of  Canons,  a  book  wherein  are  registered  the 
christenings,  marriages  and  burials,  and  another 
wherein  are  entered  the  acts  of  the  vestry  ;  there  are 
convenient  boxes  for  collecting  the  alms."  In  nearly 
all  the  churches  the  presence  or  absence  of  a  "  carpet  " 
is  noted.  The  word  is  not  used  in  the  sense  in  which 
we  now  employ  it,  but  in  the  obsolete  sense  of  a  table 
cloth.  We  still  speak  of  a  thing  being  "  on  the  carpet," 
when  we  mean  that  it  is  under  discussion.  The 


40  HISTORY  OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

allusion  is,  of  course,  not  to  a  carpet  such  as  covers  our 
floors,  but  to  the  cloth  cover  of  a  council  table.  A 
great  many  of  the  churches,  though  otherwise  well 
provided,  were  without  a  carpet,  and  in  this  connection 
it  is  interesting  to  note  that  Fuller  refers  to  a  similar 
want  in  some  of  the  English  churches  when  he  tells 
his  readers  that  "  a  Communion  table  will  not  catch 
cold  with  wanting  a  rich  carpet."  In  Meath  it  was 
only  the  principal  churches  that  were  thus  provided. 
At  Laracor  (Dean  Swift's  church),  they  were  "  furnished 
with  all  conveniences,  except  a  surplice  and  carpet." 
That  the  former  should  be  wanting  in  the  parish  of 
so  good  a  churchman  is  surprising,  but  there  is  reason 
to  suspect  that  the  use  of  the  surplice  was  often  omitted 
in  those  days. 

The  Communion  vessels  were  in  a  few  cases  of  silver 
or  plate,  but  for  the  most  part  they  seem  to  have  been 
of  pewter.  In  comparatively  recent  days  these  pewter 
vessels  were  discarded,  and  their  place  was  taken 
by  the  very  inferior  plated  ware  supplied  by  the 
Ecclesiastical  Commissioners.  As  a  result,  there  is 
scarcely  a  vestige  of  pewter  still  retained  in  the  diocese. 
Had  the  old  vessels  been  preserved  they  would  now 
be  of  great  value,  but  they  seem  to  have  been  cast 
aside  as  utterly  worthless. 

In  several  churches  the  provision  for  the  celebration 
of  Holy  Communion  was  exceedingly  poor  and  in- 
adequate. At  Syddan  the  flagon  and  chalice  were  of 
block  tin.  At  Knockmark  there  was  "  no  Communion 
table  nor  place  railed  in  for  it,  nor  raised,  no  linen  or 
carpet,  nor  flagon ;  there  is  a  chalice  of  pewter." 
Duleek  was  even  worse.  "  No  Communion  table  nor 
place  railed  in  for  it,  nor  is  there  any  flagging  or  flooring 
in  the  place  where  the  table  should  stand,  nor  else- 
where in  the  church,  saving  in  the  seats,  and  nothing 


"  STATE  OF  MEATH  "   UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS          41 

appears  but  the  common  earth  ;  no  utensils  for  the 
Communion."  Leney  was  in  just  as  bad  a  case.  '  The 
Communion  table  not  railed  in  ;  no  utensils." 

At  Galtrim  they  had  "  no  utensils  for  the  celebration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper  except  a  chalice  of  cocoa  nut 
tipped  with  silver."  This  seems  to  have  been  a  unique 
form  of  chalice,  and  the  reader  will  be  interested  to 
learn  that  while  this  history  was  being  written  the 
relic  has  been  discovered,  and  is  now  restored  to  the 
parish.  It  had  long  been  lost,  but  was  preserved 
in  private  keeping,  and  the  tradition  handed  down 
with  it  that  it  had  at  one  time  belonged  to  a  church 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Trim.  It  finally  came  into 
the  possession  of  Doctor  Minchin,  then  residing  in 
Kells,  who  set  enquiries  on  foot  with  a  view  of 
discovering  to  what  church  it  formerly  belonged. 
On  the  facts,  as  disclosed  in  Bishop  Ellis's  Report, 
being  brought  under  his  notice,  Doctor  Minchin  very 
generously  restored  it  to  the  Parish  of  Galtrim,  and  it 
is  now  in  the  custody  of  the  rector  of  that  parish. 
The  stem  of  the  chalice,  which  is  made  of  ebony,  is 
somewhat  damaged,  but  the  "  silver  tip  "  is  perfect, 
and  the  vessel  is  otherwise  in  excellent  condition. 

Services  in  the  town  parishes  were  held  twice  on 
Sundays,  at  one  of  which  a  sermon  was  preached, 
also  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  and  on  holidays. 
This  is  stated  to  have  been  the  use  at  Kells,  Trim, 
and  Mullingar.  At  Athlone  there  was  daily  service 
as  well  as  twice  on  Sundays.  In  a  few  of  the  country 
parishes  there  were  two  services  every  Sunday,  but 
in  most  of  them  only  one,  much  as  is  the  case  at  present. 
According  to  Swift's  biographers,  he  used  to  have 
service  at  Laracor  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  and  it 
was  at  one  of  these  week-day  services  that  he  is  said 
to  have  begun  the  service  by  saying,  "  Dearly  beloved 


42  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Roger,"  instead  of  the  usual  "  Dearly  beloved 
brethren,"  addressing  himself  to  the  parish  clerk,  who 
was  the  only  member  of  the  congregation.  Bishop 
Ellis's  Report,  however,  makes  no  mention  of  these 
week-day  services  at  Laracor,  and  we  may  perhaps 
conclude  that  they  were  also  held  in  other  country 
parishes  throughout  the  diocese,  although  no  notice 
of  the  fact  is  taken  in  this  return.  At  Duleek,  divine 
service  was  celebrated  only  every  second  Sunday.  On 
the  alternate  Sundays,  service  was  held  in  Mr.  Mervyn's 
house,  at  the  Naul,  in  the  parish  of  Clonalvey.  In 
Drogheda  there  was  no  service  at  Saint  Mary's, 
although  the  church  was  kept  in  repair,  and  the 
parishioners  used  to  go  across  the  river  to  Saint  Peter's. 

Very  little  information  is  given  as  to  the  frequency 
of  the  celebrations  of  the  Holy  Communion.  At  Athlone 
mention  is  made  of  a  "  monthly  Sacrament,"  and 
this  may  have  been  the  rule  for  the  town  parishes. 
At  Kilskyre,  we  are  told,  "  The  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  is  administered  six  times  in  the  year."  This 
may  have  been  the  custom  in  the  country  places. 
At  all  events,  this  is  the  only  information  that  the 
Report  gives. 

There  is  but  little  told  us  as  to  the  state  of  religious 
and  secular  education,  and  in  the  latter  portion  of 
the  Report  which  deals  with  the  western  portion  of  the 
diocese,  the  subject  is  almost  entirely  ignored.  In 
Kells,  the  children  were  catechized  from  Easter  to 
Michaelmas.  There  was  a  Latin  school  kept  by  the 
parish  clerk,  who  was  always  a  clergyman,  as  the 
emoluments  were  considerable.  There  was  also  some 
provision  for  primary  education  :  the  archdeacon 
"  paid  for  the  schooling  of  about  twenty-five  boys  and 
girls,  and  in  a  great  measure  cloathed  them."  We  are 
also  told  that  "  there  is  a  charity  school  in  Athlone, 


"  STATE  OF  MEATH  "   UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS          43 

where  thirty  boys  and  girls  are  taught  to  read  and  write, 
and  four  of  the  boys  are  clothed  by  Dr.  St.  George. 
There  is  likewise  a  spinning  school  of  twenty  girls, 
encouraged  by  the  Commissioners  of  the  Linen 
Manufactory.  Henry  St.  George  Esqr.,  has  given  a 
house  for  the  schoolmaster."  At  Banagher  the  Royal 
School  was  already  in  existence,  and  the  work  of 
teaching  carried  on,  though  the  master  was  non- 
resident. The  following  is  the  account  of  it  :  "  There 
was  a  free  school  appointed  to  be  kept  in  the  town  of 
Banagher  by  King  Charles  the  First,  and  an  endow- 
ment of  285  acres  of  land  granted  by  him  for  the  school. 
The  schoolmaster  is  James  Cunningham,  who  is  at 
present  at  Gibraltar,  a  chaplain  in  the  army.  He 
employs  the  incumbent  as  a  substitute,  and  allows 
him  £20  per  annum  annually."  In  the  smaller  parishes 
the  only  provision  for  education  seems  to  have  been 
the  catechising  of  the  children  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year.  A  few  entries  will  give  some  idea  of  the  amount  of 
instruction  that  was  given.  In  Moynalty,  the  incumbent 
catechized  the  children  every  Sunday  in  the  afternoon 
for  five  months  in  the  year.  In  Stackallen,  the 
children  were  catechized  every  Sunday  during  Lent ; 
and  in  Kilberry,  on  every  holy  day  during  the  summer 
season.  Very  much  the  same  information  is  given 
about  other  parishes,  though  in  many  cases  no  mention 
is  made  of  the  subject.  All  this  does  not  tell  us  much 
about  the  state  of  education.  It  shows,  however,  that 
the  duty  was  not  altogether  neglected,  and  we  may 
fairly  conclude  that  in  most  parishes,  if  not  in  all, 
there  was  some  provision  made  for  catechizing  the 
children. 

An  attempt  had  evidently  been  made,  and  with 
some  success,  to  form  unions,  so  that  small  adjoining 
parishes  might  be  worked  by  the  one  incumbent. 


44  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

The  system  of  patronage,  however,  continued  to  put 
obstacles  in  the  way,  and  in  many  cases  it  was  found 
impossible    to    arrange    things    satisfactorily.         For 
instance,  we  have  a  Mr.  Fisher,  who  was  rector  of 
Stackallen  and  vicar  of    Danistown,  but  to  get  from 
the  one  to  the  other,  he  had  to  pass  through    the 
parishes  of   Paynestown  and   Kentstown  ;  while  the 
rector  of  Paynestown,  on  his  part,  had  a  couple  of 
parishes  intervening  between  it  and  Monktown  and 
Skryne,  which  he  also  held.      As  for  the  rector  of 
Kentstown,  he  was  also  curate  of  Athboy,  a  combination 
of  duty  that  was  quite  impossible  to  perform.     This 
last,  therefore,  comes  more  under  the  head  of  pluralities 
than  of  unsuitable  unions.     There  were  just  a  few  such 
cases.         Stafford    Lightburn,    Dean    Swift's    curate, 
was  one,  for  he   not  only  held  the  curacy  of  Laracor, 
but  also  the  rectory  of  Churchtown  in  the    County 
Westmeath.       The  Dean  himself  was  another,  as  he 
continued  to  hold  the  parish  of  Laracor  with  some 
adjoining  parishes  after  he  had  been  appointed  to  the 
Deanery  of  Saint  Patrick's.    Anthony  Dopping,  son  of 
the  Bishop  of  Meath  of  the  same  name,  and  himself 
destined  soon  to  become  a  bishop,  held  the  rectory  of 
Killucan   together   with   the   deanery   and   parish   of 
Clonmacnoise.        Of  course  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  him  to  serve  both  cures  personally.    There 
were  a  few  other  case  like  these,  but  at  the  same  time, 
a  manifest  improvement     had  taken  place    since  the 
days  of  Bishop  Dopping. 

An  attempt  was  made  by  the  bishops  to  enforce 
residence,  and  with  that  object  in  view  two  bills  were 
introduced  into  the  House  of  Lords  in  1732,  the  one 
enforcing  the  building  of  glebe  houses,  and  the  other 
providing  for  the  sub-division  of  large  parishes.  These 
were  opposed  with  great  vigour  by  the  clergy,  and 


"  STATE   OF   MEATH        UNDER   BISHOP   ELLIS  45 

were  eventually  thrown  out  in  the  House  of  Commons. 
Swift  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  opposition,  and 
spoke  of  them  as  "  those  two  abominable  bills  for 
enslaving  and  beggaring  the  clergy,  which  took  their 
birth  from  hell."  It  is  hard  to  understand  how  two 
measures,  which,  at  the  present  day,  would  pass  almost 
without  discussion,  aroused  at  that  time  such  a  violent 
opposition. 

The  information  which  the  Return  gives  as  to  the 
incomes  of  the  clergy  is  very  imperfect.  The  largest 
income  given  is  that  of  the  rector  of  Kells,  who  was 
also  Archdeacon  of  Meath,  and  had  £700  per  annum. 
With  this  exception,  there  are  no  large  incomes  noted, 
and  it  would  seem  that  £100  a  year  might  be  considered 
a  fair  average.  Some  went  a  good  deal  lower  than 
this.  The  curate  in  charge  of  Killochonnigan,  for 
example,  had  only  £20.  In  most  of  the  parishes, 
however,  the  information  given  does  not  enable  us  to 
say  what  the  incomes  really  were,  and  in  some  cases 
there  were  glebe  lands  which  may  have  added  con- 
siderably to  the  value  of  the  benefice. 

There  are  a  few  items  of  incidental  information 
scattered  here  and  there  through  the  Report  which  are 
some  of  them  interesting.  Speaking  of  Kilmainham 
Wood,  we  are  told  :  "  The  parish  has  been  but  of  late 
upon  the  books,  nor  have  I  been  able  to  find  any 
mention  of  it  in  any  books  or  rolls  which  have  come  to 
my  hands."  It  seems  extraordinary  that  a  parish 
should  have  become,  as  this  seems  to  imply,  in  a  sense 
derelict.  No  mention  of  the  parish  is  made  by  Ussher, 
so  that  we  may  conclude  that  in  his  day  it  had  been 
already  forgotten  ;  and  the  neglect  continued  until 
comparatively  recent  times.  In  1790  the  bishop 
consulted  his  chancellor  as  to  how  he  should  deal  with 
the  case.  The  impropriator,  Lord  Beaulie,  was  a 


46  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Roman  Catholic,  and  while  he  received  the  tithes  of  the 
parish,  he  made  no  provision  for  the  duty,  and  no  vicar 
had  been  appointed  for  many  years.  After  giving 
some  advice  on  the  subject,  Doctor  Radcliff  adds  : 
"  The  very  last  opinion  I  gave  the  morning  I  left  town 
to  Mr.  Lowther,  son  of  Johnny  Lowther  (as  I  heard), 
did  I  believe,  relate  to  this  subject.  The  case  complains 
that  there  is  no  person  to  do  occasional  duties  in  a 
parish  near  Kells,  and  that  until  very  lately  Sir  William 
Barker,  who  was  tenant  to  the  impropriator,  paid 
twelve  pounds  a  year  to  the  curate  of  Kells  for  doing 
those  occasional  duties,  but  that,  since  the  expiration 
of  Sir  William's  lease,  there  had  been  a  stoppage  of 
payment,  and  Mr.  Lowther  desires  to  know  whether 
he  cannot  stop  payment  of  his  own  tithes,  until  some 
person  shall  be  paid  for  the  occasional  duties."2 
Doctor  Radcliff  goes  on  to  say  that  in  his  opinion 
Lord  Beaulie  could  be  compelled  to  pay  this  twelve 
pounds  a  year.  No  action,  however,  was  taken,  and  in 
1800  we  learn  that  "  tithes  had  not  been  paid  for  many 
years,  because  the  patron  was  a  Roman  Catholic." 
Thus  it  would  appear  that  at  least  for  about  two 
hundred  years  the  parish  had  been  left  without  any 
adequate  provision  for  the  cure  of  souls. 

Nobber  had  been  at  one  time  one  of  the  important 
towns  in  the  County  Meath,  but  evidently  long  before 
the  time  of  which  we  are  treating,  it  had  fallen  into 
decay.  The  rector  used  to  hold,  as  attached  to  his 
living,  the  dignity  of  Archdeacon  of  Kells,  and  when 
that  office  was  united  to  the  bishopric,  the  bishop 
became  rector  of  Nobber,  and  the  incumbent  had 
henceforth  merely  the  position  of  perpetual  curate 
appointed  by  the  diocesan.  The  Report  says  : — 

There   is  no  glebe  in  this  parish,  but  his  Grace  the  Lord 

»  MS.  in  Record  Ofiice,  Dublin. 


"  STATE  OF  MEATH       UNDER  BISHOP  ELLIS          47 

Primate  has  lands  in  it  belonging  to  his  see,  whereby  a  curate 
or  vicar  may  be  furnished  with  glebe,  which  is  absolutely 
necessary  in  this  parish,  being  situated  in  a  barbarous  part  of 
the  country,  and  no  tolerable  accommodation  to  be  had  other- 
wise for  a  resident  clergyman. 

Navan  was  then,  as  now,  without  a  glebe  house 
and  the  incumbent  was  forced  to  procure  a  dwelling 
for  himself  as  best  he  could.  We  are  told  that  "  the 
incumbent  resided  at  first  in  the  town  of  Navan,  but 
since  has  removed  to  lodging  in  the  country,  which 
gives  offence." 

The  following  description  of  Taughmon  church 
and  parson  is  somewhat  amusing  : — 

There  is  a  church  in  repair  with  a  steeple  in  this  parish. 
It  has  a  stone  roof,  which  cracked  from  end  to  end,  and  lets 
in  the  rain.  The  inside  is  in  very  sorry  order,  and  everything 
almost  wanting.  Christopher  Dixon,  a  weak  man,  is  curate. 
He  used  to  live  in  the  steeple.  He  could  not  be  trusted 
with  money,  and  the  Bishop  of  Meath  used  to  lay  out  yearly 
for  him  for  diet  and  conveniencies  the  sum  of  £20.  It  is  a 
very  obscure  place,  and  there  is  a  very  small  congregation. 

Notwithstanding  his  weakness,  Mr.  Dixon  survived 
a  long  time,  for  in  1751  we  find  that  a  subscription  was 
made  among  the  bishops  and  clergy  for  his  support, 
and  a  sum  of  £13  was  expended,  "  £10  whereof  to  pay 
for  board  and  lodging,  and  £3  to  be  laid  out  in  buying 
cloaths  and  other  necessarys."  3  He  had  in  the  mean- 
time been  relieved  from  the  duty  of  his  parish,  for  we 
find  that  John  Parker  was  appointed  to  it  in  1744. 
Taughmon  church  has  still  its  stone  roof,  and  the  crack 
which  Bishop  Ellis  notes  remains  as  of  old.  The 
congregation,  too,  continues  to  be  very  small.  Indeed 
of  late  the  church  has  only  been  used  for  occasional 
services. 

Our  Report  makes  no  mention  of  the  now  important 

1  MS.  in  Record  Office,  Dublin. 


48  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OP   MEATH 

town  of  Tullamore,  which  indeed  was  at  that  time 
by  no  means  such  an  important  place  as  it  afterwards 
became.  There  had  been  a  chapel  of  ease  there,  but 
no  mention  of  it  is  made  in  the  present  account.  The 
parish  to  which  it  belonged  (Durrow)  comes  in  for 
only  a  very  scanty  notice.  There  is  equally  no 
mention  of  Moate,  but  the  parish,  Kilcleagh,  is 
mentioned  as  united  to  Bally loughloe.  There  is  no 
intimation  as  to  whether  a  church  existed  in  the  town 
of  Moate,  but  from  the  fact  that  glebe  lands  were 
bestowed  on  Kilcleagh  by  Charles  I.,  with  a  stipulation 
that  a  clergyman's  residence  was  to  be  erected,  we 
may  perhaps  conclude,  that  even  then  the  importance 
of  the  place  was  recognized,  and  that  the  intention 
was  that  it  should  be  made  into  a  separate  parish. 
This  intention,  however,  like  many  others  of  the  same 
kind,  was  not  carried  into  effect  until  many  years 
afterwards. 

Except  in  the  latter  portions,  the  Return  seems  to 
have  been  very  carefully  compiled,  and  it  marks 
for  us  the  recovery  of  the  Church  after  the  miseries  of 
the  rebellion  of  1641,  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell,  and 
the  attempted  Romanizing  of  the  Church  under  James 
II.  After  ninety  years  of  such  painful  experiences,  it 
speaks  well  for  the  Church  that  we  find  it  so  carefully 
organized,  and  on  the  whole  so  efficiently  administered. 
There  was  still,  no  doubt,  great  room  for  improvement 
in  many  places,  and  the  standard  reached  was  very 
far  from  what  would  be  deemed  satisfactory  in  the 
present  day.  But  once  more  we  must  judge  things, 
not  according  to  modern  ideas,  but  according  to  the 
ideas  that  were  then  prevalent,  and  when  we  remember 
this,  we  cannot  but  admit  that  substantial  progress 
had  been  made,  and  the  way  prepared  for  still  greater 
progress  in  the  future. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
GLIMPSES  OF  CHURCH  LIFE. 

WE  have  some  interesting  sources  of  information,  of  a 
different  kind  from  any  that  have  been  so  far  available, 
which  tell  us  about  church  life  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath 
in  the  eighteenth  century.  First,  we  have  the  Life 
and  Works  of  Dean  Swift ;  then  we  have  the  Journal 
of  John  \Vesley  ;  and  finally,  the  writings  of  Oliver 
Goldsmith.  These  three  are  sufficiently  near  in  time 
to  one  another  to  justify  us  in  taking  them  as  descriptive 
of  the  same  period. 

Jonathan  Swift  was  appointed  to  the  livings  of 
Laracor,  Agher,  and  Rathbeggan  in  February,  1700. 
He  had  already  had  a  parish  in  the  north  of  Ireland, 
but  he  held  it  only  for  a  short  time,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  he  ever  resided  in  it,  so  that  we  may  assume  that, 
whatever  knowledge  he  possessed  of  an  Irish  country 
clergyman's  life  was  derived  from  his  experience  as 
incumbent  of  a  small  parish  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath. 
After  his  appointment  he  was  in  no  hurry  to  take  up 
the  duty,  but  continued  to  live  in  Dublin,  officiating 
as  chaplain  to  Lord  Berkeley,  and  in  the  following  year 
he  accompanied  that  nobleman  to  England.  It  was 
only  in  September,  1701,  that  he  went  into  residence. 
From  time  to  time  he  did  not  hesitate  to  absent  himself 
for  long  periods.  In  1702  he  was  for  six  months  in 
England,  and  in  1708  he  went  away  again,  not  returning 
for  a  year  and  eight  months.  After  his  appointment 
to  the  Deanery  of  Saint  Patrick's  Cathedral,  he  only 

VOL.   II.  K 


5O  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

went  occasionally  to  Laracor,  and  in  his  latter  days 
he  seems  to  have  seldom  visited  his  parish.  Of  course, 
he  always  employed  a  curate,  so  that  the  parish  was 
not  neglected,  but,  in  view  of  his  own  action,  it  is  hard 
to  understand  how  he  could  write  on  the  subject  of 
non-residence,  '  I  believe  there  is  no  Christian  country 
upon  earth  where  the  clergy  have  less  to  answer  for 
upon  that  article.  I  am  confident  there  are  not  ten 
clergymen  in  the  kingdom  who,  properly  speaking, 
can  be  termed  non-residents." 

Swift's  congregations  were  always  small,  seldom 
more  than  ten,  and  these,  as  he  wittily  puts  it,  "  most 
gentle  and  all  simple."  That  he  found  the  place  dull 
does  not  surprise  us.  It  was  not  worse  in  this  respect 
than  many  another  country  parish,  but  he  was  a  man 
who  loved  to  be  in  the  thick  of  the  fray.  Writing  to 
Vanessa,  he  says,  "  At  my  first  coming,  I  thought  I 
should  have  died  with  discontent,  and  was  horribly 
melancholy  while  they  were  installing  me."  After  a 
time  he  became  more  reconciled  to  his  lot,  and 
interested  himself  in  the  house  and  garden.  He  made 
friends  among  some  of  the  neighbours,  and  was 
cheered  by  the  companionship  of  Stella,  for  whom 
he  rented  a  cottage  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood. 

The  parish  of  Laracor  benefited  considerably  from 
the  dean's  liberality.  He  made  considerable  improve- 
ments in  the  dwelling  house,  and  by  purchase  he  added 
greatly  to  the  lands,  all  of  which  he  left  to  his  successors 
free  of  any  charge.  He  also  acquired  the  tithes  of 
what  he  calls  the  "  parish  "  of  Effernock,  a  district  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Trim,  and  bequeathed  it  as  an 
addition  to  the  income  of  the  benefice.  At  the  time 
of  disestablishment,  unfortunately,  no  claim  was  made 
for  these  tithes  as  a  "  private  endowment,"  for  if 
this  had  been  done  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH   LIFE  51 

parish  would  still  be  receiving  the  benefit    of    his 
generosity. 

When  we  remember  how  he  was  thus  associated 
with  our  diocese,  we  may  fairly  take  his  lines  on  The 
Happy  Life  of  a  Country  Parson  as  descriptive  of  a 
Meath  clergyman's  life  in  his  time.  Like  everything 
else  that  Swift  wrote,  it  has  its  note  of  sarcasm,  but  on 
the  whole  the  picture  is  not  unpleasing. 

Parson,  these  things  in  thy  possessing 
Are  better  than  the  bishop's  blessing  : 
A  wife  that  makes  conserves  ;  a  steed 
That  carries  double  when  there's  need  ; 
October  store,  and  best  Virginia, 
Tythe-pig,  and  mortuary  guinea ; 
Gazettes  sent  gratis  down,  and  frank'd, 
For  which  thy  patron's  weekly  thank'd  ; 
A  large  concordance  (bound  long  since) ; 
Sermons  to  Charles  the  First,  when  prince; 
A  Chronicle  of  ancient  standing  ; 
A  Chrysostom,  to  smoothe  thy  band  in  ; 
The  Polyglott — three  parts — my  text, 
Howbeit, — likewise — now  to  my  next, 
Lo,  here  the  Septuagint — and  Paul, 
To  sum  the  whole — the  close  of  all. 
He  that  hath  these  may  pass  his  life, 
Drink  with  the  squire,  and  kiss  his  wife  ; 
On  Sundays  preach,  and  eat  his  fill, 
And  fast  on  Fridays,  if  he  will ; 
Toast  Church  and  Queen,  explain  the  news  ; 
Talk  with  churchwardens  about  pews  ; 
Pray  heartily  for  some  new  gift, 
And  shake  his  head  at  Doctor  S 1. 

Goldsmith,  writing  somewhat  later,  drew  all  his 
knowledge  of  a  parson's  life  from  the  County 
Westmeath,  where  his  father,  and  afterwards  his 
brother,  had  their  field  of  labour.  The  picture  of  the 
"  village  preacher  "  in  the  Deserted  Village,  is  drawn 
with  a  more  loving  hand  than  that  of  Swift,  but  the 


52  HISTORY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

two  descriptions  are  not  incompatible.  He  was  a  man 
of  modest  means,  just  barely  raised  above  want,  but 
contented,  and  not  at  all,  like  Swift's  parson,  praying 
for  some  new  gift. 

A  man  he  was  to  all  the  country  dear, 

And  passing  rich  with  forty  pounds  a  year. 

Remote  from  towns  he  ran  his  godly  race, 

Nor  e'er  had  changed,  nor  wished  to  change,  his  place. 

Unpractised  he  to  fawn,  or  seek  for  power, 

By  doctrines  fashioned  to  the  varying  hour  ; 

Far  other  aims  his  heart  had  learned  to  prize, 

More  skilled  to  raise  the  wretched  than  to  rise. 

The  "  forty  pounds  a  year  "  that  Goldsmith  speaks 
of,  seems  to  have  been  the  regular  pay  of  a  curate  at 
that  time,  and  his  own  brother  never  got  beyond  it. 
It  represented,  of  course,  a  good  deal  more  than  the 
same  sum  represents  in  the  present  day ;  still  it  left 
no  room  for  extravagance,  and  necessitated  a  very 
simple  and  quiet  life.  Swift,  in  his  "  Letter  to  a 
Young  Clergyman,"  says  that  young  men  newly 
ordained  "  if  they  be  very  fortunate,  arrive  in  time 
to  a  curacy  here  in  town,  or  else  are  sent  to  be  assistants 
in  the  country,  where  they  probably  continue  several 
years  (many  of  them  their  whole  lives)  with  thirty  or 
forty  pounds  a  year  for  their  support,  'till  some  bishop, 
who  happens  to  be  not  over-stocked  with  relations, 
or  attached  to  favourites,  or  is  content  to  supply  his 
diocese  without  colonies  from  England,  bestows  upon 
them  some  inconsiderable  benefice,  when  'tis  odds 
they  are  already  encumbered  with  a  numerous  family." 

Underlying  both  accounts  is  the  assumption  that 
promotion  in  the  church  went  more  by  favour  than  by 
merit.  That  Swift  makes  such  a  complaint  does  not 
surprise  us,  as  we  know  that  he  was  always  more  or 
less  discontented,  but  Goldsmith,  who  was  of  a  very 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH  LIFE  53 

different  disposition,  gives  us  clearly  to  understand 
that  if  his  parson  had  been  "  practised  to  fawn,"  and  to 
adapt  his  teaching  to  the  fashion  of  the  hour,  he  might 
have  obtained  advancement  for  himself.  It  must 
have  been  disheartening  to  many  a  faithful  worker  to 
find  himself  continually  passed  over  in  favour  of  those 
who  had  more  powerful  friends.  The  grievance, 
however,  was  one  of  long  standing,  and  we  would  be 
wrong  in  assuming  that  it  was  worse  in  those  days  than 
in  the  preceding  time  or  in  the  time  that  was  to  follow. 
Goldsmith  dwells  at  considerable  length  on  the 
benevolence  and  hospitality  of  the  parson,  on  his 
ministry  by  the  death  bed,  and  on  his  friendly 
relationship  with  his  parishioners,  but  he  dismisses 
the  subject  of  preaching  in  a  single  couplet  : 

Truth  from  his  lips  prevailed  with  double  sway, 
And  fools,  who  came  to  scoff,  remained  to  pray. 

We  may  probably  conclude  from  this  that  preaching 
was  not  his  strongest  point,  and  we  may  perhaps 
generalize,  and  assume  that  the  clergymen  of  the  small 
country  parishes  were  not  as  a  general  rule  great 
orators,  as  indeed  was  not  to  be  expected.  There  can 
be  little  doubt,  however,  that  good  preaching  was  very 
much  appreciated,  and  that  many  of  the  clergy  aimed 
at  excellence  in  this  respect.  Swift  dwells  upon  the 
subject  very  fully  in  his  "  Letter  to  a  Young  Clergy- 
man," and  the  faults  which  he  points  out  are  mostly 
those  that  would  be  found  amongst  men  that  made 
some  pretensions  to  oratory.  He  notes  with  approval 
that  he  has  "  lived  to  see  Greek  and  Latin  almost 
entirely  driven  out  of  the  pulpit,"  but  he  deprecates 
the  habit  which  still  obtained  of  making  quotations 
from  ancient  and  modern  authors,  by  way  of  displaying 
the  erudition  of  the  preacher,  and  he  specially  ridicules 


54  HISTORY  OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

the  stock  phrases  by  which  such  quotations  were 
commonly  introduced — "  As  Saint  Austin  excellently 
observes  "—as  "  a  late  excellent  prelate  of  our  church," 
tells  us — and  the  like.  "  Of  no  better  stamp  is  your 
'  heathen  philosopher,'  and  '  famous  poet/  and 
'  Roman  historian/  at  least  in  common  congregations, 
who  will  rather  believe  you  on  your  own  word  than  on 
that  of  Plato  or  Homer."  He  also  warns  his  young 
friend  against  attacking  heathen  philosophy,  which 
possibly  he  has  never  taken  the  trouble  to  understand, 
and  against  preaching  against  atheism  to  congregations 
whose  minds  have  never  been  troubled  with  theological 
doubts.  Such  warnings,  it  is  needless  to  remark,  would 
be  unnecessary  if  the  popular  style  of  preaching  in  that 
day  was  not  lofty — perhaps  one  might  say,  stilted — in 
its  character. 

Incidentally,  Swift  lets  us  know  that  the  usual 
length  of  a  sermon  in  those  days  was  half  an  hour. 
He  also  discusses  the  question  as  to  whether  a  sermon 
should  be  read,  or  delivered  without  a  manuscript, 
and  he  says  that  the  whole  body  of  the  clergy  would 
be  against  him,  but  the  laity  almost  to  a  man  on  his 
side,  in  preferring  the  spoken  sermon.  '  I  cannot 
but  think,"  he  says,  "  that  whatever  is  read  differs  as 
much  from  what  is  repeated  without  book  as  a  copy 
does  from  an  original."  It  is  evident  from  this  that 
written  sermons  were  the  rule,  and  extempore  sermons 
the  exception. 

John  Wesley,  in" his  Journal,  speaks  more  than  once 
of  the  preaching  in  Athlone  church,  of  which  he  seems 
to  have  highly  approved.  On  Sunday,  May  3rd,  1748, 
he  writes  :  "At  eleven  we  went  to  church,  and  heard 
a  plain,  useful  sermon."  On  May  yth,  1749,  he  has 
the  entry,  "  Athlone.  The  rector  preached  in  the 
afternoon  (though  it  is  called  morning  service)  a  close 


GLIMPSES   OF  CHURCH   LIFE  55 

useful  sermon  on  the  Fear  of  God."  And  again,  on 
June  nth,  1759,  he  writes,  "  We  had  an  excellent 
sermon  at  church,  on  the  Intercession  of  Christ."  He 
does  not  seem  to  have  expressed  his  opinion  about  the 
preaching  in  any  other  place  in  the  diocese  except 
Athlone,  but  we  may  gather  from  his  observations 
that  sound  and  thoughtful  if  not  eloquent  preaching 
was  to  be  heard  in  the  churches  of  Meath  in  his  time. 
Turning  now  from  the  clergy  to  the  laity,  the 
description  which  Goldsmith  gives  of  the  parishioners 
clustering  round  the  vicar  after  the  Sunday  service 
recurs  at  once  to  the  mind  : — 

The  service  past,  around  the  pious  man, 
With  steady  zeal,  each  honest  rustic  ran  ; 
E'en  children  followed  with  endearing  wile, 
And  plucked  his  gown,  to  share  the  good  man's  smile. 
His  ready  smile  a  parent's  warmth  expressed  ; 
Their  welfare  pleased  him,  and  their  cares  distressed  ; 
To  them  his  heart,  his  love,  his  griefs  were  given, 
But  all  his  serious  thoughts  had  rest  in  heaven. 

The  congregation  which  thus  showed  its  attachment 
to  the  pastor  consisted  of  honest  rustics.  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  some  who  thought  more  highly  of  themselves 
were  very  far  from  displaying  the  same  estimable 
qualities.  Even  in  such  an  abode  of  "  innocence  and 
ease  "  as  Auburn  is  represented  to  have  been,  there 
were  fools  who  came  to  the  house  of  God  merely  to 
scoff.  We  can  understand  what  this  meant  when 
we  read  Wesley's  description  of  different  churches. 
He  says  of  Athlone,  that  he  "  had  not  seen  one  con- 
gregation ever  in  Ireland  behave  so  ill  at  church,  as 
that  at  Athlone,  laughing,  talking,  and  staring  about, 
during  the  whole  service."  He  was  so  accustomed 
to  see  the  better  class  of  people  behave  badly  in  church, 
that  when  they  at  all  showed  a  serious  disposition, 


56  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

he  mentions  it  as  something  unusual.  "  I  preached," 
he  says,  "  at  Clara  to  a  vast  number  of  well-behaved 
people,  although  some  of  them  came  in  their  coaches, 
and  were  (I  was  informed)  of  the  best  quality  in  the 
country.  How  few  of  these  would  have  returned 
empty  if  they  had  heard  the  word  of  God,  not  out  of 
curiosity  merely,  but  from  a  real  desire  to  do  His 
will."  At  another  time,  he  says,  "  I  preached  at 
Tyrrelspass  with  a  peculiar  blessing  from  God,  though 
many  persons  of  fortune  were  in  the  congregation. 
But  the  poor  and  the  rich  are  His."  And  once  more, 
again  with  regard  to  Tyrrelspass,  he  says,  "  Preached 
at  8  and  12  (there  being  no  service  in  the  church). 
A  heap  of  fine  gay  people  came  in  their  post  chaises 
to  the  evening  preaching.  I  spoke  very  plainly,  but 
the  words  seemed  to  fly  over  them.  Gallic  cared 
for  none  of  these  things." 

This  inattentive  and  indecent  behaviour  at  church 
seems  to  have  arisen  from  a  spirit  of  infidelity  which 
was  then  fashionable,  and  which  was  accompanied  by 
a  loose  kind  of  living.  Wesley  speaks  of  cursing, 
swearing,  and  drinking,  as  "  fashionable  wickedness." 
Swift  tells  us  that  the  so-called  free-thinkers  were 
to  be  found  amongst  those  in  the  country  who  were 
"  oppressing  their  tenants,  tyrannizing  over  the  neigh- 
bourhood, cheating  the  vicar,  talking  nonsense,  and 
getting  drunk  at  the  sessions."  He  thinks  that  nothing 
was  gained  by  the  "  frequent  custom  of  preaching  against 
atheism,  deism,  free  thinking,  and  the  like,  as  young 
divines  are  particularly  fond  of  doing,  especially  when 
they  exercise  their  talent  in  churches  frequented  by 
persons  of  quality,"  for,  first  of  all,  "  persons  under 
those  imputations  are  generally  no  great  frequenters 
of  churches,"  and  even  if  they  did  come,  they  would 
not  be  convinced,  for  "  reasoning  will  never  make  a 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH   LIFE  57 

man  correct  an  ill  opinion  which  by  reasoning  he 
never  acquired."  He  thinks  that  education  was  at  a 
very  low  ebb  among  the  better  classes,  and  tells  us, 
41  that  you  will  hardly  find  a  young  person  of  quality 
with  the  least  tincture  of  knowledge,  at  the  same  time 
that  the  clergy  were  never  more  learned,  or  so  scurvily 
treated." 

When  Swift  took  up  his  residence  at  Laracor,  he 
found  both  church  and  parsonage  in  a  state  of  dilapi- 
dation. He,  however,  at  once  set  about  repairing 
them.  There  were  probably  many  other  churches  in 
the  same  condition,  but  a  better  order  of  things  was 
coming  in,  and  before  many  years  had  elapsed  the  type 
of  sanctuary  that  Meath  could  boast  was  that  which 
Goldsmith  commemorates  when  he  speaks  of — 

The  decent  church  that  topt  the  neighbouring  hill. 

The  interior  arrangement  of  the  churches  was  some- 
what different  from  that  which  is  usual  at  present. 
The  prayer  desk,  with  the  parish  clerk's  desk  in  front 
of  it,  commonly  occupied  the  centre  of  the  south  wall. 
Behind  this  the  pulpit  stood  in  all  the  smaller  churches, 
but  in  some  of  the  more  important,  it  was  a  movable 
structure,  mounted  on  wheels,  which  was  rolled  into 
the  centre  aisle  when  required  for  use,  and  at  other 
times  relegated  to  a  less  prominent  position.  This  was 
the  use  in  Athlone  Church,1  and  probably  in  some 
others,  as  it  was  not  an  unusual  arrangement  at  the 
time.  The  pews  were  large,  and  often  "  built  "  * 
at  the  expense  of  the  owners.  Then,  as  now,  they  were 
the  occasion  of  frequent  disputes,3  and,  as  Swift  points 
out,  formed  the  chief  subject  of  discussion  between  the 
clergyman  and  his  churchwardens.  It  was  not  always 

1  Athlone  Vestry  Book.          a  Kells  Vestry  Book. 
3  M S.  Opinions  of  Counsel,  Record  Office,  Dublin. 


58  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

easy  to  keep  them  in  decent  order,  for,  when  any 
important  person  in  the  parish  died,  it  was  customary 
to  have  the  interment  within  the  walls  of  the  church. 
This,  besides  being  insanitary,  often  caused  damage 
to  the  pews,  and  must  have  rendered  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  preserve  the  church  furniture  from  excessive 
wear  and  tear.  In  Kells  the  vestry  passed  a  resolution 
that- 

Whereas  several  pughs  in  said  church  have  been  greatly 
injur'd  by  burying  corps  in  said  church,  it  is  therefore  enacted 
that  for  the  future,  before  the  ground  be  opened  or  any  pugh 
taken  down,  the  sum  of  two  pounds  five  shillings  be  deposited 
in  the  hands  of  the  church  wardens,  in  order  to  repair  said 
damage,  and  the  remainder,  if  any,  to  be  disposed  of  as  the 
ministers,  church  wardens,  and  Protestant  parishioners  shall 
think  proper.  4 

It  was  only  at  a  much  later  date  that  such  interments 
were  prohibited. 

The  churchwardens  and  vestrymen  concerned 
themselves  with  many  subjects  that  are  now  considered 
to  be  altogether  beyond  their  province.  They  pro- 
vided the  stocks,  and  seem  to  have  had  the  power  of 
inflicting  that  penalty,  which  they  awarded  to  such- 
offences  as  playing  ball  against  the  church  walls,s 
and  it  was  their  favourite  remedy  against  the  tramp 
nuisance.  Portion  of  the  stocks  of  Navan  is  still  to  be 
seen  outside  the  court-house,  a  quaint  reminder  of  an 
obsolete  mode  of  punishment ;  and  a  much  more 
perfect  specimen,  quite  capable  of  being  still  used, 
has  lately  been  purchased  by  the  Rev.  Hamlet 
McClenaghan,  Rector  of  Dunshaughlin.  Formerly  it 
had  belonged  to  the  village,  and  had  passed  into  the 
possession  of  a  neighbouring  farmer. 

The  treatment  of  vagrants  and  beggars  must  have 

•  Kells  Vestry  Book.'  •  Ibid, 


GLIMPSES   OF  CHU&CH  LIFE  59 

occupied  a  good  part  of  the  churchwardens'  attention, 
and  the  old  vestry  books  have  many  curious  entries 
dealing  with  this  subject.  When  a  new  resident  came 
to  the  parish,  if  he  had  no  visible  means  of  subsistence, 
security  might  be  demanded  from  him  that  he  would 
not  become  chargeable  on  the  charity  funds.6  The  case 
of  a  vagrant  was  different.  For  him  they  had  no  mercy. 
He  was  either  put  in  the  stocks,  or  else  received  a 
whipping,  and  was  sent  on  his  way.  In  Kells,  and 
probably  in  other  places  as  well,  they  had  a  parish 
officer  called  the  "  whip  beggar,"  or  "  ban  beggar," 
whose  duty  it  was  "  to  keep  off  all  beggars  and  poor 
people  out  of  the  parish."  How  he  performed  this 
duty  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  name  of  his  office. 
He  received  a  salary  and  a  coat,  and  it  was  resolved 
that  if  he  failed  in  his  duty,  the  coat  was  to  be  taken 
from  him  and  the  salary  stopped. 7  They  had  a  similar 
officer  at  Athlone,  but  in  that  parish  he  was  called 
the  "  bellower."  8  The  ordinary  mendicants,  at  all 
events  in  the  towns,  were  provided  with  badges.  These 
were  metal  plates,  about  three  inches  square,  with  the 
name  of  the  parish,  and  a  number.  Those  who  were 
thus  decorated  were  allowed  to  solicit  alms  in  the 
neighbourhood.  A  similar  custom  prevailed  about 
this  time  in  many  places  both  in  England  and  Ireland. 
A  well-known  letter  written  by  Dean  Swift  advocates 
the  adoption  of  badges  for  the  beggars  of  Dublin. 

Other  duties  that  fell  to  the  lot  of  church  wardens, 
were  the  providing  for  foundling  children,  who  were 
either  put  out  to  nurse,  or  sent  to  the  Foundling 
Hospital  in  Dublin  ;  the  providing  of  coffins  for 
paupers,  the  care  of  the  streets,  especial  mention 
being  made  of  the  duty  of  keeping  them  free  from 

•  Ballyboy  Vestry  Book.         »  Kells  Vestry  Book. 
"  Athlone  Vestry  Book, 


60  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

strolling  pigs  ;  9  and  a  variety  of  other  things  that  are 
now  looked  after  in  other  ways. 

The  funds  required  for  all  these  works,  as  well  as 
for  the  repair  of  the  fabric  of  the  church  and  the  pay- 
ment of  church  officers,  were  raised  by  a  cess  levied 
at  the  Easter  vestry.  As  Roman  Catholics  had  to 
pay  this  tax,  and  yet  none  of  them  were  allowed  to 
vote  at  the  vestry  meetings,  it  naturally  caused 
frequent  resentment.  Often  it  was  raised  with 
difficulty ;  sometimes  it  could  not  be  raised  at  all.10 
Like  many  other  things  arranged  for  us  by  the  English 
government,  it  helped  to  prejudice  the  people  of  the 
country  against  our  Church. 

The  Temperance  movement  is  generally  regarded 
as  belonging  to  the  nineteenth  century.  According 
to  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  the  first  temperance 
society  dates  from  1808,  and  was  formed  in  Greenfield, 
Saratoga  County,  New  York.  New  Ross  is  claimed 
by  some  to  be  the  birth  place  of  the  first  temperance 
society  in  Europe,  and  it  was  founded  in  1829  by  the 
Reverend  George  Whitmore  Carr.11  It  may  be  well, 
therefore,  to  note  that  long  before  either  of  these 
dates,  there  was  a  movement  of  this  kind  in  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,  and  though  in  doing  so  we  come 
to  a  later  date  than  the  other  events  chronicled  in 
this  chapter,  it  may  well  take  its  place  among  our 
"  Glimpses  of  Church  Life." 

As  early  as  1771  the  subject  of  temperance  reform 
had  attracted  attention  in  the  country,  for  in  that  year 
legislation  was  proposed  which  went  beyond  the 
wildest  dreams  of  the  present  day.  In  that  year  a  bill 
was  introduced  into  Parliament  to  suspend  whiskey 
distilling,  "  which  was  demoralizing  the  country."  12 

•  Slane  Vestry  Book.  »°  Ardnurcher  Vestry  Book. 

11  Rev.  T.  F.  M.  ffrench  in  Irish  Eccksiastical  Gazette,  Jan.  28,  1898. 

"  Froude,  English  in  Ireland. 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH  LIFE  6l 

In  this  case  England  interfered,  because  of  the  loss 
that  would  come  to  the  revenue,  and  the  bill  had  to  be 
abandoned.  Some  time  after  that,  in  1787,  a  meeting 
was  held  in  Saint  Mary's  parish,  Dublin,  which  formed 
itself  into  an  organization  for  the  promotion  of 
temperance.  The  year  following  the  movement  was 
taken  up  in  Meath,  and  a  meeting  was  held  in  Kells, 
at  which  the  following  resolutions  were  passed  : — 

Resolved. — That  we  highly  approve  of  the  resolutions 
entered  into  on  the  2nd  of  April  last  by  our  brethren  of  the 
metropolis  and  that  we  will  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  promote 
their  patriotic  intention,  by  the  most  spirited  exertion  to 
prevent  the  destructive  practice  of  spirit  drinking,  so  fatally 
prevalent  among  the  lower  ranks  of  society. 

Resolved. — That  as  we  are  sensible  of  the  influence  which 
example  has  on  the  minds  of  the  common  people,  we  will  in 
every  instance  discountenance  the  horrid  vice  of  drunkenness, 
as  well  by  punishing  those  who  vend  spirituous  liquors  illegally, 
as  by  refusing  employment  and  protection  to  every  person  who 
shall  continue  in  the  practice  of  intoxication  ;  and  we  have 
the  strongest  persuasion  that  our  brethren  of  the  neighbouring 
parishes  will,  upon  due  consideration,  see  the  indispensible 
necessity  of  adopting  these  or  similar  resolutions,  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  civilization  and  good  order  among  their 
poorer  fellow  creatures,  who  only  want  instruction  and 
encouragement  to  become  good  and  useful  members  of  society, 
relying  on  the  wisdom  and  humanity  of  an  enlightened 
legislature  for  further  assistance  in  promoting  the  real  happiness 
of  this  country,  by  destroying  the  principal  source  of  idleness 
and  immorality.  *3 

Copies  of  these  resolutions  were  published  in  the 
Dublin  newspapers,  and  the  temperance  society  in 
Dublin  passed  a  resolution  of  approbation  and 
sympathy.  The  leader  in  this  movement,  as  far  as 
Meath  is  concerned,  was  Mr.  Michael  Tisdall,  of 
Charlesfort,  whose  descendants  are  still  among  the 
most  faithful  members  of  our  church  in  the  diocese. 

13  Kells  Vestry  Book. 


62      HISTORY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

The  Kells  vestry,  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  passed  a 
resolution  of  thanks  to  him  "  for  his  charitable  good 
services  in  suppressing  drunkenness  and  all  other 
disorderly  practices,"  from  which  we  may  conclude 
that  the  organization,  though  it  seems  to  have  been 
short  lived,  was  enabled  in  some  measure  to  accomplish 
the  object  for  which  it  was  formed. 

As  to  the  bishops,  we  have  little  information  as  to 
how  they  performed  their  duties,  but  as  we  have  seen, 
they  were  supposed  to  have  been  more  active  than  they 
had  been  in  former  times.  Swift,  as  is  well  known, 
had  not  a  very  exalted  opinion  of  the  episcopal  bench. 
He  is  particularly  hard  on  Bishop  Evans,  and  if  his 
account  is  to  be  trusted — a  somewhat  doubtful  point, 
when  an  enemy  is  concerned — that  prelate  was  unfair 
and  tyrannical  to  those  who  were  of  a  different  party 
from  himself.  It  would  appear  that  some  unpleasant- 
ness arose  between  them  at  one  of  the  first  visitations 
which  the  bishop  held,  and  in  the  following  year 
Swift  refused  to  attend  the  visitation,  sending  a  proxy 
instead.  Bishop  Evans  refused  to  receive  his  proxy, 
and  thereupon  Swift  sent  him  the  following  letter  :— 

May  22,  1719. 
To  the   Bishop  of  Meath. 

I  had  an  express  sent  to  me  yesterday  by  some  friends,  to 
let  me  know  that  you  refused  to  accept  my  proxy,  which  I 
think  was  in  legal  form,  and  with  all  the  circumstances  it  ought 
to  have.  I  was  likewise  informed  of  some  other  particulars 
relating  to  your  displeasure  for  my  not  appearing.  You 
may  remember,  if  you  please,  that  I  promised  last  year  never 
to  appear  again  at  your  visitations  ;  and  I  will  most  certainly 
keep  my  word  if  the  law  will  permit  me  ;  not  from  any  contempt 
of  your  lordship's  jurisdiction,  but  that  I  would  not  put  you 
under  the  temptation  of  giving  me  injurious  treatment,  which 
no  wise  man,  if  he  can  avoid  it,  will  receive  above  once  from 
the  same  person. 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH   LIFE  63 

I  had  the  less  apprehension  of  any  hard  dealing  from  your 
lordship,  because  I  have  been  more  than  ordinary  officious 
in  my  respects  to  you,  from  your  first  coming  over.  I  waited 
on  you  as  soon  as  I  knew  of  your  landing.  I  attended  on  you 
on  your  first  journey  to  Trim.  I  lent  you  a  useful  book 
relating  to  your  diocese  ;  and  repeated  my  visits,  till  I  saw  you 
never  intended  to  return  them.  And  I  could  have  no  design 
to  serve  myself,  having  nothing  to  hope  or  fear  from  you. 
I  cannot  help  it,  if  I  am  called  of  a  different  party  from  your 
lordship's,  but  that  circumstance  is  of  no  consequence  with  me, 
who  respect  good  men  of  all  parties  alike. 

I  have  already  nominated  a  person  to  be  my  curate,  and 
did  humbly  recommend  him  to  your  lordship  to  be  ordained, 
which  must  be  done  by  some  other  bishop,  since  you  are 
pleased,  as  I  am  told,  to  refuse  it,  and  I  am  apt  to  think  you 
will  be  of  opinion  that,  when  I  have  a  lawful  curate,  I  shall 
not  be  under  the  necessity  of  a  personal  appearance,  from 
which  I  hold  myself  excused  by  another  station.  If  I  shall 
prove  to  be  mistaken,  I  declare  my  appearance  will  be 
extremely  against  my  inclinations.  However,  I  hope  that  in 
such  a  case,  your  lordship  will  please  to  remember  in  the  midst 
of  your  resentments  that  you  are  to  speak  to  a  clergyman, 
and  not  to  a  footman. 

I  am,  your  Lordship's  obedient 
Humble  servant, 

JON.  SWIFT.  '4 

It  does  not  say  much  for  the  ecclesiastical  discipline 
of  those  days  to  find  that  Swift  could  threaten  his 
diocesan  that  if  he  refused  to  ordain  the  curate  that 
he  nominated,  he  would  be  able  to  find  another  bishop 
willing  to  do  so.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the 
question  did  not  arise,  for  we  find  that  this  same  year 
Stafford  Lightburne  was  ordained  in  Meath  for  the 
curacy  of  Laracor  ;  so  that  the  bishop  cannot  have 
been  as  unreasonable  as  Swift  represents  him  to  be. 
But  this  concession  on  the  part  of  the  bishop  did  not 
mend  matters,  for  the  enmity  continued  until  his 

»«  Mant. 


64  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

lordship  was  removed  by  death.  Two  years  later, 
Evans  held  another  visitation,  and  on  that  occasion 
Swift  wrote  the  following  letter  to  the  Reverend 
Thomas  Wallis,  Vicar  of  Athboy,  who  had  agreed  to 
act  as  his  proxy  : — 

Dublin,  May  18,  1721. 
SIR, 

I  had  your  letter,  and  the  copy  of  the  bishop's  circular 
enclosed,  for  which  I  thank  you  ;  and  yet  I  will  not  pretend 
to  know  anything  of  it,  and  hope  you  have  not  told  anybody 
what  you  did.  I  should  be  glad  enough  to  be  at  the  visitation, 
not  out  of  any  love  to  the  business  of  the  person,  but  to  do  my 
part  in  preventing  any  mischief ;  but  in  truth  my  health  will 
not  suffer  it,  and  you,  who  are  my  proxy,  may  safely  give 
it  upon  your  veracity.  I  am  confident  the  bishop  would  not 
be  dissastisfied  with  wanting  my  company,  and  yet  he  may 
give  himself  airs  when  he  finds  I  am  not  there.  I  now  employ 
myself  in  getting  you  a  companion  to  cure  your  spleen. 

I  am, 

Your  faithful,  humble  servant, 

J.  S. 

When  the  visitation  actually  took  place  the  bishop 
"  gave  himself  airs,"  as  Swift  suspected  he  might  do, 
and  refused  to  receive  the  Dean's  proxy.  Thereupon 
Swift  sent  him  the  following  vigorous  letter  : — 

MY  LORD, 

I  have  received  an  account  of  your  lordship's  refusing  to 
admit  my  proxy  at  your  visitation,  with  several  circumstances 
of  personal  reflections  on  myself,  although  my  proxy  attested 
my  want  of  health  ;  to  confirm  which,  and  to  lay  before  you 
the  justice  and  Christianity  of  your  proceeding,  above  a 
hundred  persons  of  quality  and  distinction  can  witness  that 
since  Friday,  the  26th  of  May,  I  have  been  tormented  with  an 
ague,  in  as  violent  a  manner  as  possible,  which  still  continues, 
and  forces  me  to  make  use  of  another  hand  in  writing  to  you. 


GLIMPSES   OF   CHURCH   LIFE  65 

At  the  same  time  I  must  be  plain  to  tell  you,  that  if  this 
accident  had  not  happened,  I  should  have  used  all  my 
endeavours  to  avoid  your  visitation,  upon  the  publick  promise 
I  made  you  three  years  ago,  and  the  motives  which  occasioned 
it  ;  because  I  was  unwilling  to  bear  any  more  very  injurious 
treatment  and  appellations  given  to  my  brethren  or  myself, 
and  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  still  determined  to  absent  myself 
on  the  like  occasion,  so  far  as  I  can  possibly  be  dispensed  with 
by  any  law,  while  your  lordship  is  in  that  diocese  and  I  a 
member  of  it.  In  which  resolution  I  could  not  conceive  but 
your  lordship  would  be  easy,  because,  although  my  presence 
might  possibly  contribute  to  your  real,  at  least  future  interest, 
I  was  sure  it  could  not  be  to  your  present  satisfaction. 

If  I  had  the  happiness  to  be  acquainted  with  any  one 
clergyman  in  the  diocese  of  your  lordship's  principles,  I 
should  have  desired  him  to  represent  me,  with  hopes  of  better 
success,  but  I  wish  you  would  sometimes  think  it  convenient 
to  distinguish  men  as  well  as  principles,  and  not  to  look  upon 
every  person  who  happens  to  owe  you  canonical  obedience 
as  if  --  . 

I  have  the  honour  to  be  ordinary  over  a  considerable  number 
of  as  eminent  divines  as  any  in  this  kingdom,  who  owe  me  the 
same  obedience  as  I  owe  to  your  lordship,  and  are  equally 
bound  to  attend  my  visitation  ;  yet,  neither  I  nor  any  of  my 
predecessors,  to  my  knowledge,  did  ever  refuse  a  regular 
proxy. 

I  am  only  sorry  that  you,  who  are  of  a  country  famed  for 
good  nature,  have  found  a  way  to  unite  the  hasty  passion  of 
your  own  countrymen  with  the  long,  sedate  resentment  of  a 
Spaniard  ;  but  I  have  an  honourable  hope  that  this  proceeding 
has  been  more  owing  to  party  than  complexion. 

I  am, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's  most  humble  servant, 

JON. 


Whatever  may  have  been  the  merits  of  this 
contention,  and  it  seems  impossible  for  us  now  to  judge 
of  them,  we  can  scarcely  help  sympathizing  with  the 
bishop  who  had  to  deal  with  such  a  bitter-tongued 
opponent  among  his  clergy. 

16  Mant. 
VOL.   II.  F 


66  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF  MEATH 

When  Bishop  Dowries  succeeded  Evans,  Swift 
gave  him  a  most  cordial  reception,  as  if  to  mark  the 
contrast  between  him  and  his  predecessor.  On  this 
point,  the  bishop  writes  : — 

I  spent  all  last  week  in  or  near  Trim.  On  Wednesday  I 
held  my  visitation,  and  on  Thursday  a  synod  there,  and 
through  the  unexpected  goodness  of  the  Dean  of  Saint  Patrick's 
was  made  perfectly  easy  on  both  days,  as  if  he  had  a  mind  to 
atone,  by  his  uncommon  civilities  to  me,  for  the  uncommon 
trouble  he  had  given  to  my  predecessor.  The  dean  went  with 
me  on  Friday  to  visit  Arbracken,  and  to  lay  out  the  ground 
for  my  new  house  and  gardens  ;  but  we  returned  re  in/ecta,  not 
having  allowed  time  for  so  necessary  a  work. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 
PENAL  LAWS. 

THE  eighteenth  century  was  pre-eminently  the  age 
of  those  enactments  against  the  Church  of  Rome, 
which  are  known  as  the  Penal  Laws.  This  seems  a 
convenient  place,  therefore,  to  consider  what  light  is 
thrown  on  the  subject  by  the  history  of  the  Diocese 
of  Meath. 

It  is  somewhat  unfortunate  that  the  expression 
"  penal  laws  "  should  be  used  in  this  restricted  sense, 
as  it  suggests  that  they  were  the  outcome  of  Protestant 
bigotry  and  intolerance,  whereas  the  real  truth  is  that 
they  were  the  consistent  following  out  of  a  policy 
which  had  been  adopted  by  the  English  in  Ireland 
from  the  days  of  Henry  II.  There  were  penal  laws 
before  religion  had  become  a  factor  dividing  men  into 
opposite  camps,  and  the  enactments  of  those  earlier 
days,  made  by  Roman  Catholic  monarchs,  and  some- 
times with  the  direct  sanction  of  the  Church,  were 
far  more  severe  than  the  most  oppressive  of  those 
which  a  Protestant  government  imposed  in  later  years. 
When  the  Normans  conquered  England  they  treated 
the  Saxons  with  all  that  oppression  which  was  then 
regarded  as  the  right  of  a  conqueror,  but  they  made 
no  penal  laws — there  was  equal  justice  for  both  parties. 
And  the  result  was  as  beneficial  to  the  Normans  as  it 
was  to  the  Saxons,  for  it  made  their  kingdom  stable, 
and  united  the  realm  into  a  homogeneous  whole.  But 
they  displayed  no  such  wisdom  in  their  treatment  of 


68  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

Ireland.  From  the  first  they  had  one  code  of  justice 
for  themselves,  and  another  for  the  original  inhabitants 
of  the  country.  An  Englishman  in  Ireland,  if  he  were 
disloyal,  as  many  of  them  were,  was  a  "  rebel ;  "  but 
the  Irishman  who  was  making  common  cause  with 
him  was  not  a  rebel,  but  an  "  enemy."  A  rebel  might 
deserve  punishment,  but  at  all  events,  he  had  the  law 
to  which  he  could  appeal,  and  he  could  not  be  con- 
demned without  some  sort  of  trial ;  but  an  enemy 
had  no  such  rights.  It  was  in  this  spirit  that  Ireland 
was  governed,  and  the  evil  tradition  was  handed  down 
from  one  generation  to  another.  This  tradition  was 
the  true  genesis  of  the  penal  laws.  If  there  had  been 
no  question  of  religion  the  laws  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  been  enacted  all  the  same.  They  would  have 
been  differently  expressed,  and  would  have  been 
directed  against  "  Irish  enemies,"  instead  of  "  Irish 
papists,"  but  in  every  other  respect  there  would  have 
been  no  difference. 

In  treating  of  this  subject,  there  is  one  difficulty 
which  presents  itself  at  the  outset,  and  that  is,  how 
to  state  the  case  in  fairness,  and  yet  not  appear  to  be 
an  apologist  for  this  kind  of  legislation.  Members 
of  our  Church  have  no  inducement  to  defend  the  penal 
laws,  for  though  directed  against  Roman  Catholics, 
it  is  to  Protestantism  that  they  have  done  the  greatest 
injury.  The  politicians  who  framed  them  were  not 
men  whose  object  was  the  welfare  of  the  Church — 
they  had  quite  other  ends  in  view.  Nor  were  Irish 
churchmen  unable  to  see  through  the  designs  of  their 
rulers.  King,  then  Bishop  of  Derry,  and  afterwards 
Archbishop  of  Dublin,  expresses  his  opinion  very  freely 
on  the  subject.  He  says,  "  One  would  think  that  the 
world  were  somewhat  concerned  about  religion,  for 
of  three  bills  that  passed  last,  one  was  to  prohibit 


PENAL   LAWS  69 

marrying  with  Papists,  and  another  to  banish  regulars, 
and  the  third,  for  damning  the  Articles  of  Limerick, 
was  on  pretence  of  weakening  the  Popish  interest; 
but  after  all  there  is  not  the  least  consideration  of 
religion  at  the  bottom,  and  we  must  learn  from  this, 
not  to  judge  according  to  appearance."  This  was 
written  in  1697,  when  penal  laws  were  beginning  to  be 
enforced.  In  1720,  when  he  had  many  years  trial  of 
them,  he  writes  again.  "  If  one  would  observe  the  state 
of  religion  in  these  kingdoms  in  our  own  time,  that  is 
since  the  restoration  of  the  royal  family,  perhaps  it  will 
appear  that  the  Church  never  gained  more  true  friends 
than  when  the  civil  power  gave  her  doctrine  and 
worship  least  encouragement,  nor  lost  more  the  hearts 
and  affections  of  her  people  than  when  seeming  most 
encouraged." 

If  we  are  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  penal  laws, 
there  are  three  points  that  in  all  fairness  should  be 
kept  in  mind.  First,  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that 
we  should  not  judge  the  eighteenth  century  by  the 
standard  of  the  twentieth.  The  reign  of  Queen 
Anne  is  after  all  not  so  very  long  ago,  but  the  world 
has  progressed  wonderfully  in  some  directions  since 
then,  and  in  no  way  more  remarkably  than  in  the 
recognition  of  the  right  of  religious  liberty.  The  penal 
laws  were  frankly  and  openly  intolerant ;  but  what 
nation  was  there  at  that  time  which  had  even  the 
faintest  idea  of  toleration  ?  The  case  of  warfare  supplies 
a  parallel.  Judged  by  the  standard  of  to-day,  the 
heroes  of  that  age  were  simply  brutes.  They  sacked 
towns,  they  committed  all  kinds  of  outrages,  they 
conformed  to  none  of  the  rules  of  what  is  called 
"  civilized  warfare."  But,  very  rightly,  we  do  not 
blame  the  soldiers  of  that  age.  We  blame  the  age 
itself.  The  time  of  humanity  in  warfare  had  not  yet 


70  HISTORY  OF  THB   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

come,  and  mankind  had  still  to  learn  the  lesson.  The 
same  is  true  with  regard  to  toleration  in  matters  of 
religion.  It  also  was  a  lesson  that  had  not  yet  been 
learnt.  When,  therefore,  we  condemn  the  penal  laws, 
we  should  remember  that  the  condemnation  is  merited 
more  by  the  age  that  produced  them  than  by  the  actual 
authors  that  enacted  them. 

Another  point  to  be  borne  in  mind  is  that  these 
laws  had  a  political  as  well  as  a  religious  aspect,  and 
that  a  supposed  political  necessity  underlay  every  one 
of  them.  The  Church  of  Rome  at  that  time  identified 
itself  with  the  cause  of  the  Stuarts,  in  opposition  to  the 
reigning  dynasty.  The  Roman  Catholic  bishops  of 
Ireland  were  appointed  by  the  Pope  on  the  nomination 
of  the  Pretender.  Every  appointment,  therefore,  was 
an  act  of  hostility  to  the  reigning  monarch,  and  invited 
the  retaliation  which  was  embodied  in  these  laws.  At 
the  Revolution  there  were  Protestant  non-juring 
bishops  and  clergy,  who  refused  to  acknowledge  the 
Prince  of  Orange  as  their  lawful  sovereign,  and  these 
were  deposed  without  any  more  ado.  It  was  in  exactly 
the  same  spirit  that  the  Roman  Catholic  bishops 
and  clergy  were  treated. 

It  is  remarkable  how  much  this  aspect  of  the  case 
is  misrepresented  by  some  writers,  who  would  have 
us  believe  that  the  penal  laws  were  purely  acts  of 
religious  persecution.  The  greatest  sufferings  under 
these  laws  is  said  to  have  been  after  the  year  1709, 
when  the  Roman  priests  were  required  to  take  the 
oath  of  abjuration.  Concerning  this  oath,  Cogan, 
in  his  Diocese  of  Meath,  makes  the  astounding 
assertion  that  "  by  the  oath  of  abjuration  the  priest 
was  ordered  to  swear  that  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass 
and  the  invocation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  saints 
were  damnable  and  idolatrous.  In  other  words, 


PENAL  LAWS  7! 

the  priest  was  ordered  to  apostatize,  or  fly  for  his  life." 
Where  he  obtained  this  information  it  is  impossible 
to  say,  but  he  evidently  made  the  assertion  without 
taking  the  trouble  to  read  the  terms  of  the  oath  itself. 
The  only  explanation  that  suggests  itself  is  that  he 
confounds  this  oath  with  another  which,  in  the  time 
of  Cromwell,  was  imposed  on  those  who  professed  to 
be  converts,  as  a  test  of  their  sincerity.  What  the 
priests  objected  to  in  this  oath  of  abjuration  was  the 
clause,  "I  do  solemnly  and  sincerely  declare  that 
I  do  believe  in  my  conscience  that  the  person  pretended 
to  be  Prince  of  Wales  during  the  life  of  the  late  King 
James,  and,  since  his  decease,  taking  upon  himself 
the  style  and  title  of  King  of  England,  by  the  name 
of  James  III.,  hath  not  any  right  or  title  whatever  to 
the  crown  of  this  realm."  We  may  have  a  great 
deal  of  sympathy  with  men  who  could  not  see  their 
way  to  make  a  declaration  such  as  this,  but  we  must 
recognize  that  the  difficulty  was  altogether  political, 
and  we  cannot  feel  astonished  that  such  men  were 
regarded  with  disfavour  by  the  power  which  they 
refused  to  acknowledge.  And  they  were  not  the  only 
sufferers.  The  Protestant  non-jurors  were  in  exactly 
the  same  case,  with  this  important  difference,  that  it 
was  not  at  all  likely  that  the  non-jurors  would  take 
up  arms  against  the  crown.  We  may  therefore  have 
great  sympathy  alike  with  Roman  Catholics  and  non- 
jurors,  and  at  the  same  time  not  be  prepared  to  say 
that  they  were  unjustly  treated. 

The  third  point  to  be  remembered  is  that  a  dis- 
tinction should  be  made  between  the  actual  provisions 
of  the  law  and  the  way  in  which  it  was  administered. 
The  penal  laws,  being  on  the  statute  book,  could  be 
enforced  in  times  of  emergency,  when  there  was  danger 
of  an  attempt  being  made  to  restore  the  Stuart  line 


72  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

At  other  times  they  were  mostly  allowed  to  remain 
in  abeyance.  The  words  of  Edmund  Burke,  in  speaking 
of  the  penal  code,  have  often  been  quoted.  He  said, 
"  It  had  a  vicious  perfection — full  of  coherence  and 
consistency,  well  digested  and  well  disposed  in  all  its 
parts.  It  was  a  machine  of  wise  and  elaborate  con- 
trivance, and  as  well  fitted  for  the  oppression,  im- 
poverishment, and  degradation  of  a  people,  and  the 
debasement  in  them  of  human  nature  itself,  as  ever 
proceeded  from  the  perverted  ingenuity  of  man." 
The  history  of  the  diocese  of  Meath  shows  that  this 
statement — however  theoretically  true  it  may  have 
been, — was  as  a  description  of  the  practical  working 
of  the  scheme  altogether  incorrect.  The  code,  in  its 
application  at  all  events,  was  anything  but  perfect 
and  complete.  There  were  undoubtedly  cases  of 
hardship  and  injustice.  Many  Roman  Catholic  priests, 
especially  among  the  "  seculars,"  desired  nothing 
more  than  to  be  left  in  peace  to  fulfil  their  spiritual 
duties  amongst  their  flocks,  but  the  law  made  no 
distinction,  and  they  sometimes  found  themselves 
involved  in  the  condemnation  which  was  merited 
by  some  of  their  confreres.  The  law  put  a  weapon 
into  the  hands  of  evilly  disposed  persons  which  could 
be  used  for  the  persecution  of  their  Roman  Catholic 
neighbours ;  but  those  who  took  advantage  of  the  evil 
facilities  thus  afforded  were  regarded  with  disfavour 
by  those  around,  and  by  none  more  so  than  by  members 
of  the  Irish  Church.  It  is  something  to  the  credit  of 
Irish  churchmen  that  there  never  were  wanting  amongst 
them  those  who  were  ready  to  help  in  evading  these 
severe  enactments.  In  Meath,  at  all  events,  when  a 
Roman  Catholic  priest  found  it  necessary  to  hide 
himself,  he  generally  found  his  place  of  refuge  in  the 
house  of  a  Protestant. 


PENAL  LAWS  73 

To  understand  how  happily  imperfect  and  in- 
complete the  Penal  code  was  in  its  administration, 
we  may  put  some  facts  in  apposition.  The  closing 
years  of  the  seventeenth  century,  just  after  the  defeat 
of  King  James,  are  said  to  have  been  some  of  the  worst 
in  the  history  of  Romanism  in  Ireland.  Cogan  says, 
"  The  position  of  the  Catholics  of  Ireland  was  then 
wretched  in  the  extreme,  and  perhaps  with  the 
exception  of  Cromwell's  merciless  reign,  there  is  no 
parallel  in  our  ecclesiastical  annals  to  the  miseries 
endured  under  King  William,  and  the  last  of  the 
Stuarts,  Queen  Anne."  There  is  some  reason  for  these 
strong  statements,  for  in  1697  an  Act  was  passed  by 
which  "  all  popish  archbishops,  bishops,  vicars-general, 
deans,  Jesuits,  monks,  friars,  and  all  Papists  exercising 
ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  were  required  to  leave  the 
kingdom  before  the  first  of  May,  1698,  on  pain  of  being 
kept  in  prison  till  sent  out  of  the  country :  and 
should  any  of  them  venture  to  return,  they  were 
to  be  adjudged  guilty  of  high  treason."  This  certainly 
seems  to  be  sweeping  enough,  and  is  an  example  of  the 
"  vicious  perfection  "  to  which  Burke  refers.  A 
historian,  if  he  were  writing  of  any  other  country  but 
Ireland,  might  well  give  this  as  his  authority  for 
describing  the  Roman  Catholics  of  that  day  as  a  people 
deprived  of  their  pastors  by  an  oppressive  law.  This 
then  is  our  first  fact.  Now,  let  us  place  another  fact 
beside  it.  The  Diocese  of  Meath,  so  far  from  being 
deprived  of  its  pastors,  had  in  it  twice  as  many  Roman 
Catholic  priests  as  there  were  Protestant  clergymen, 
and  was  nearly  as  fully  manned  then  as  it  is  at  the 
present  moment. 

There  are  now  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  Roman  Catholic  clergy.  In  1698,  a 
year  after  the  act  in  question  had  been  passed,  there 


74  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

were  one  hundred  and  twelve,  of  whom  sixty-four 
were  "  seculars,"  and  forty-eight  "  regulars."  Nor 
can  it  be  replied  that  these  numbers  represent  what 
the  strength  of  the  diocese  was  before  the  legislation 
took  effect,  and  that  there  may  have  been  an  almost 
immediate  diminution  in  these  numbers ;  for  we  have 
another  account  a  few  years  later,  and  we  find  that 
in  1704,  when  there  was  just  enough  time  for  the  act 
to  have  wrought  havoc  with  all  the  ecclesiastical 
arrangements,  the  number  of  the  clergy,  instead  of 
diminishing,  had  actually  increased.  The  sixty-four 
secular  clergy  had  become  ninety-three,  registered 
and  recognized  by  the  government.1  The  number  of 
regulars  is  not  given,  but  allowing  that  it  may  have 
been  considerably  reduced,  the  increase  of  the  other 
class  would  probably  more  than  make  up  for  the 
deficiency.  And  even  if  there  were  no  others  than  the 
ninety-three,  known  and  registered,  the  diocese  would 
be  very  far  indeed  from  being  spiritually  destitute. 
We  therefore  see  that  the  historian  who  would  take 
the  Act  of  Parliament  as  his  reliable  authority,  would 
be  altogether  astray  as  to  the  facts  of  the  case.  He 
might  possibly  dwell  on  the  vicious  perfection  and 
completeness  which  enumerated  so  many  ecclesiastical 
officers  that  no  loophole  of  escape  was  left,  but  the 
perfection  after  all  would  be  only  imaginary,  and  the 
real  truth  would  be  altogether  different  from  the 
conclusions  that  he  would  naturally  draw  from  the 
words  of  the  statute. 

As  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne  advanced  the  penal 
code  grew  in  intensity,  and  it  perhaps  reached  its 
climax  in  1709,  when  the  priests  were  required  to  take 
the  oath  of  abjuration.  By  the  Act  of  that  year, 
informers  were  encouraged  to  betray  Romish  ecclesias- 

1  Cogan,  Diocese  of  Meatk,  vol.  ii.,  p.  153. 


PENAL   LAWS  75 

tics,  and  fifty  pounds  were  to  be  given  for  the 
apprehension  and  conviction  of  an  archbishop,  bishop, 
or  vicar  general ;  twenty  pounds  for  a  friar  ;  and  ten 
pounds  for  a  schoolmaster.  We  might  naturally 
conclude  from  a  law  like  this  that  at  such  a  time 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  appoint  a  new  bishop. 
But,  once  more,  such  a  conclusion  would  be  altogether 
wrong.  It  was  exactly  this  juncture  that  was  chosen 
for  the  appointment  of  a  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of 
Meath.  The  See  had  been  for  some  years  vacant,  and 
had  been  governed  by  a  vicar  general.  The  last 
occupant,  Doctor  Tyrrell,  who  had  been  bishop  in 
the  time  of  James  II.,  had  been  a  very  militant  church- 
man. He  was  present  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne, 
lived  in  camp  with  the  soldiers  for  some  time  after- 
wards, and  was  in  Limerick  during  the  siege.  Shortly 
after  this  he  died,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  the 
authorities  of  the  Church  deemed  it  prudent  not  to 
appoint  a  successor  until  the  remembrance  of  his 
warlike  exploits  had  to  some  extent  passed  away. 
The  remarkable  point  is  that  the  time  deemed  suitable 
for  such  an  appointment  was  the  moment  when  the 
penal  laws  are  supposed  to  have  been  at  their  very 
worst,  and  when,  if  they  had  been  really  enforced, 
such  an  appointment  would  have  been  impossible. 

The  prelate  who  was  thus  appointed  was  Doctor 
Luke  Fagan,  who  afterwards  became  Roman  Catholic 
Archbishop  of  Dublin.  A  few  years  after  his  conse- 
cration to  Meath,  some  busybody  brought  the  case 
before  the  courts,  but  the  proceedings  that  followed 
only  showed  how  easily  the  law  could  be  evaded* 
and  that  the  authorities  were  evidently  only  too  ready 
to  connive  at  the  evasion. 

There  was  a  certain  amount  of  evidence  taken  at 
Mullingar,  but  the  Deputy  Clerk  of  the  Crown  omitted 


76  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

to  enter  the  examinations  in  the  judge's  book  of  bills, 
and  in  consequence,  no  action  was  taken  and  no  decree 
made.  The  clerk  was  brought  before  the  House  of 
Lords  to  answer  for  his  neglect,  but,  on  expressing 
his  regret,  and  begging  pardon  of  the  House,  his 
offence  was  condoned,  and  the  incident  came  to  an 
end.  The  clerk  who  thus  conveniently  forgot  his 
duty  was  almost  certainly  a  Protestant,  and  we  may 
be  quite  sure  that  he  would  have  been  more  vigilant 
if  he  was  not  well  aware  that  the  Protestant  magistrates 
were  at  his  back.  The  House  of  Lords  too,  manifestly 
considered  his  offence  to  be  only  venial.  The  whole 
incident  illustrates  well  the  point  that  we  are  insisting 
on  :  that  the  enactments  of  the  law  and  the  administra- 
tion of  it  were  two  very  different  things. 

After  the  death  of  Queen  Anne  the  penal  laws 
continued  to  be  in  force,  but  were  administered  with 
rigour  which  diminished  as  the  time  went  on.  The 
danger  of  a  Jacobite  rising  grew  less  and  less,  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  clergy  showed  a  disposition  to  accept 
the  inevitable,  and  to  acquiesce  in  the  rule  of  the  House 
of  Brunswick.  Towards  the  middle  of  the  century, 
a  meeting  of  bishops  was  convened  by  the  Bishop  of 
Meath,  and  a  manifesto  put  forth  explaining  how  the 
spiritual  obligations  of  Roman  Catholics  were  perfectly 
reconcilable  with  their  temporal  allegiance.2  These 
circumstances  rendered  the  existence  of  penal  laws 
less  necessary.  In  1743  there  was,  for  a  short  time, 
a  revival  of  the  old  severity,  in  consequence  of  the 
rumour  that  an  invasion  of  the  country  by  the  French 
was  intended.  It  soon,  however,  passed  away.  A 
priest  from  Meath  celebrated  Mass  in  an  old  house  in 
Cook  Street,  Dublin,  and  so  great  was  the  crush,  that 
the  floor  gave  way,  and  several  of  the  worshippers 

1  Cogan,  Diocese  of  Meath,  vol.  ii..  p.  165. 


PENAL   LAWS  77 

were  killed.  This  occurrence  seems  to  have  brought 
it  home  to  the  minds  of  people  that  the  method  of 
repression  was  as  unworthy  as  it  was  ineffectual,  and 
accordingly  the  laws  were  immediately  after  this  very 
much  relaxed.  Towards  the  end  of  the  century  the 
Romanists  had  in  practice  all  the  liberty  that  they 
desired,  though  it  was  not  for  many  years  that  the 
penal  code  was  finally  repealed.  Occasional  outbursts 
of  bigotry  and  intolerance,  no  doubt,  there  were  from 
time  to  time,  but  they  were  never  very  serious,  and  the 
Roman  Catholics  easily  managed  to  hold  their  own. 
In  1779,  when  Doctor  Plunkett  was  appointed  Roman 
Catholic  Bishop  of  Meath,  it  is  said  that  some  of  the 
Protestants  of  Navan  were  determined  that  no  popish 
bishop  would  be  allowed  to  live  in  that  town,  but 
Plunkett  simply  defied  them,  and  overcame  their 
opposition  without  any  difficulty. 

Besides  the  coercive  methods  of  the  penal  code, 
there  were  other  and  less  objectionable  methods 
employed  for  the  conversion  of  the  Roman  Catholics. 
In  1709,  while  Parliament  was  devising  means  for 
banishing  Romish  ecclesiastics,  Convocation  was  dis- 
cussing a  more  excellent  way  of  reaching  the  people 
of  the  country.  It  was  agreed  that  the  Bible  and  the 
Prayer  Book  should  be  published  in  the  Irish  language, 
and  that  preachers  competent  to  speak  to  the  people 
in  that  tongue  should  be  employed,  itinerating  from 
parish  to  parish  for  that  purpose. 3  The  scheme  was 
an  excellent  one — on  paper, — but  it  needed  some 
enthusiasm  and  devotion  to  carry  it  out,  and  these 
things  unfortunately  were  conspicuously  lacking  at 
the  time.  Some  Protestants  openly  opposed  the  scheme  ; 
others  gave  it  a  half-hearted  acquiescence.  Between 
them,  it  never  came  to  very  much. 

'Mant 


78  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

A  little  later  in  the  century,  Henry  Maule,  then 
(1733)  Bishop  of  Dromore,  and  afterwards  Bishop  of 
Meath,  took  up  the  subject,  and  advocated  the 
establishment  of  schools  all  over  the  country.  In  a 
sermon  preached  by  him  in  Christ  Church  Cathedral 
on  the  23rd  of  October,  1733,  he  dwells  at  length 
on  the  methods  to  be  adopted  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Roman  Catholics,  and  he  says  that  two  things  were 
necessary  :  first,  a  wise  and  prudent  execution  of  the 
laws  against  Popery ;  and  secondly,  effectual  and 
Christian  methods  for  the  general  instruction  of  the 
Irish  natives  in  the  principles  of  the  true  religion 
and  the  English  tongue.  Under  the  second  head  he 
dwells  at  length  on  the  importance  of  educating  the 
people,  and  says  that  "  the  poorer  sort  of  the  Irish 
most  chearfully  send  their  children  to  the  English 
Protestant  schools,  provided  they  are  taught  gratis." 
The  scheme  which  he  advocated  was  to  some  extent 
carried  out.  A  charter  was  granted,  for  which  reason 
the  institutions  became  known  as  "  charter  schools," 
and  there  were  great  hopes  that  the  system  would  be 
crowned  with  an  abundant  success.  Unfortunately, 
it  was  an  age  in  which  corruption  reigned  supreme, 
and  the  fraud  that  was  carried  on  in  connection  with 
the  charter  schools  soon  destroyed  any  hopes  of  their 
efficacy  in  accomplishing  the  purposes  for  which  they 
were  intended.  The  priests,  after  a  time,  forbade  their 
people  to  send  the  children,  and  established  opposition 
schools  of  their  own  in  every  district.  In  1788  there 
were  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  Roman  Catholic 
schools  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath — a  much  larger  number 
than  is  to  be  found  at  the  present  moment. 

The  efforts  made  for  the  conversion  of  Roman 
Catholics,  though  conducted  in  this  half-hearted  and 
blundering  way,  were  not  without  result.  There  is 


PENAL  LAWS  79 

preserved  in  the  Record  Office  at  Dublin,  quite  a  long 
roll  of  certificates  granted  to  converts.  Of  these, 
something  more  than  a  hundred  belong  to  the  Diocese 
of  Meath — not  a  very  great  number  considering  the 
space  of  time  covered,  but  probably  not  representing 
more  than  a  fractional  part  of  the  real  total.  Those 
who  received  these  certificates  had  first  signed  a  form 
of  abjuration,  which  they  afterwards  read  publicly 
in  church  during  the  time  of  divine  service.  They 
were  then  received  by  the  clergyman,  who  used  a  special 
form  of  prayer  provided  for  the  occasion,  and  all  this 
being  reported  to  the  bishop,  the  formal  certificate 
was  issued  by  him.  The  following  form  was  drawn  up  by 
Bishop  Maule  for  use  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  and  is 
preserved  in  a  Book  of  Precedents  : 

Henry,  by  Divine  Providence  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath, 
to  all  to  whom  these  Presents  come,  greeting.  We  do  hereby 
certifie  that  A.B.,  of  the  Parish  of  C.,  in  the  County  of  D., 
hath  renounced  the  errors  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  was 
received  into  the  Communion  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  on 
the  fourteenth  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  One 
thousand  seven  hundred  forty  and  five,  and  that  the  said  A.B. 
is  a  Protestant,  and  doth  conform  to  the  Church  of  Ireland 
as  by  law  established.  In  testimony  whereof  we  have  caused 
our  episcopal  Seal  to  be  affixed  to  these  Presents.  Dated 
the  twenty-second  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  One 
thousand  seven  hundred  forty  and  five. 

The  most  famous  of  the  converts,  as  far  as  the 
Diocese  of  Meath  is  concerned,  was  Baron  Dunboyne, 
who  in  1786  resigned  his  position  as  Roman  Catholic 
Bishop  of  Cork,  declaring  at  the  same  time  his  intention 
of  marrying.  Great  pressure  was  brought  to  bear  upon 
him  by  the  authorities  of  the  Roman  Church  to  prevent 
what  they  naturally  regarded  as  a  great  scandal. 
The  Pope  himself  wrote  a  letter  to  dissuade  him ; 


80  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

but  all  was  without  avail.  He  read  his  recantation 
in  1787  in  the  Parish  Church  of  Clonmel.  His  certificate 
is  amongst  those  preserved  in  the  Record  Office,  but 
it  does  not  mention  the  fact  that  he  had  been  Bishop 
of  Cork.  In  1800  he  once  more  made  his  submission 
to  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  prayed  to  be  restored  to 
its  communion. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

METHODISM. 

METHODISM  was  undoubtedly  the  most  remarkable 
religious  movement  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Its 
progress  in  Meath  was  not  as  marked  as  it  was  in 
some  other  parts  of  the  country,  yet  it  was  sufficiently 
great  to  merit  special  notice  in  a  history  of  the 
diocese.1 

It  was  principally  in  the  western  portions  of  the 
diocese  that  the  Methodists  established  their  societies. 
The  following  places  are  all  mentioned  in  John  Wesley's 
Journal  as  localities  that  had  been  visited  by  that 
great  evangelist :  Tullamore,  Clara,  Moate,  Athlone, 
Tyrrelspass,  Ballyboy,  Frankford,  Ferbane,  Mullingar, 
and  Drumcree.  To  some  of  these  places  he  only  paid 
a  passing  visit,  but  in  most  of  them  he  established 
societies,  many  of  which  continue  to  the  present  day. 
He  seems  to  have  had  large  congregations  wherever 
he  went.  In  Tullamore,  he  says  that  "  most  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  "  came  to  the  preaching,  and 
even  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  "  abundance  of 
them  "  came  back  again  to  hear  him  once  more.  In 
Clara  he  preached  to  "  a  vast  number  of  well-behaved 
people."  In  Moate  he  had  only  a  handful  of  listeners, 
but  they  were  very  enthusiastic,  and  he  pays  the  place 
the  compliment  of  saying  that  it  was  "  the  pleasantest 
town  that  I  have  seen  in  Ireland."  But  it  was  at 

1  The  information  in  this  chapter  is  mostly  derived  from  John  Wesley's 
Journal. 

VOL.   II.  G 


82  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

Athlone  especially  that  he  had  the  greatest  success. 
Here  he  preached  from  the  window  of  an  unfinished 
house,  opposite  the  market  house,  for  the  building 
which  had  been  placed  at  his  disposal  "  would  not  have 
contained  half  the  congregation."  This  was  on 
Saturday,  the  second  of  April,  1784.  The  following 
day  he  preached  again,  and  so  many  came,  that  he 
says  :  "  The  waters  spread  too  wide  to  be  deep." 
The  next  Sunday  the  Roman  Catholic  priest  had  to 
forbid  his  flock  from  attending,  and  "  seeing  his 
command  did  not  avail,  came  in  person  at  six,  and 
drove  them  away  before  him  like  a  flock  of  sheep." 
After  that,  he  tells  us,  "  the  roaring  lion  began  to 
shake  himself,"  and  there  was  some  opposition,  but  the 
objectors  could  not  oppose  openly,  "  the  stream  running 
so  strong  against  them."  And  so  he  continued  until, 
at  the  end  of  his  visit,  he  writes,  "  With  much 
difficulty  I  broke  away  from  this  immeasurably  loving 
people." 

Notwithstanding  this  success,  John  Wesley  does 
not  seem  to  have  had  a  very  high  opinion  of  the 
spirituality  of  the  Meath  people.  They  came  to  his 
meetings  and  behaved  decorously,  but  they  seldom 
were  touched  with  his  enthusiasm,  and  therefore  it 
seemed  to  him  that  they  failed  to  receive  as  much 
benefit  as  might  otherwise  have  come  to  them.  At 
Clara,  he  rejoices  in  the  great  multitudes  that  flocked 
to  his  service,  but  adds  :  '  How  few  of  these  would 
have  returned  empty  if  they  had  heard  the  word  of 
God,  not  out  of  curiosity  merely  but  from  a  real  desire 
to  do  His  will."  On  another  occasion  he  writes  con- 
cerning the  same  place,  "  I  admired  the  seriousness 
of  the  whole  congregation  ;  "  from  which  we  might 
imagine  that  an  improvement  had  taken  place  in  the 
meantime.  But  even  then  he  was  not  quite  satisfied, 


METHODISM  83 

for  he  adds  :  "  Indeed  one  or  two  gentlemen  appeared 
quite  unconcerned,  but  the  presence  of  greater 
gentlemen  kept  them  within  bounds,  so  they  were  as 
quiet — as  if  they  had  been  at  the  play-house." 

They  were  much  more  responsive  to  him  at  Tyrrels- 
pass.  Speaking  of  a  meeting  held  there  in  1748,  he 
says :  "  Many  of  the  neighbouring  gentlemen  were 
present,  but  none  mocked.  That  is  not  the  custom 
here.  All  attend  to  what  is  spoken  in  the  name  of 
God.  They  do  not  understand  the  making  sport  with 
sacred  things,  so  that  whether  they  approve  or  not 
they  behave  with  seriousness."  A  somewhat  different 
picture  of  the  place  is  presented  by  Charles  Wesley, 
who,  writing  about  the  same  time,  says :  "  God  has 
begun  a  great  work  here.  The  people  of  Tyrrelspass 
were  wicked  to  a  proverb — swearers,  drunkards, 
Sabbath-breakers,  thieves,  etc.,  from  time  immemorial. 
But  now  the  scene  is  entirely  changed.  Not  an  oath 
is  heard  or  a  drunkard  seen  among  them.  Aperto 
vivitur  horto.  They  are  turned  from  darkness  to  light. 
Near  one  hundred  are  joined  in  society,  and  following 
hard  after  the  pardoning  God." 

For  some  reason  or  other,  the  Methodists  were  for 
a  long  time  kept  out  of  Mullingar.  On  July  gth,  1750, 
Wesley  notes  in  his  Journal.  "  In  our  way  we  stopped 
an  hour  at  Mullingar.  The  sovereign  of  the  town  came 
to  the  inn,  and  expressed  much  desire  that  I  should 
preach,  but  I  had  little  hopes  of  doing  good  by 
preaching  in  a  place  where  I  could  preach  but  once, 
and  where  none  except  myself  would  be  suffered  to 
preach  at  all."  After  a  time,  however,  the  obstacle, 
whatever  it  was,  was  removed,  and  in  1767  he  tells 
us  :  '  We  went  on  to  Molingar,  where  for  many  years 
no  Methodist  preacher  could  appear."  But  even  then 
the  Mullingar  people  seem  to  have  been  ^somewhat 


84  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

half-hearted,  for  when,  a  few  years  later,  he  preached 
there  again  (in  1771),  he  tells  us  that  there  was  "  a 
serious  and  decent  congregation,  but  they  seemed 
quite  unconcerned." 

The  system  of  these  early  Methodists  was  quite 
consistent  with  loyalty  to  the  church.  To  some  extent, 
no  doubt,  it  ignored  the  parochial  organization. 
Wesley  and  his  followers  did  not  hesitate  to  carry  on 
their  work  without  paying  any  respect  to  the  opinion 
of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  of  the  district.  He 
used  to  say,  "  The  world  is  my  parish,"  and  he  acted 
continually  on  that  principle.  But  on  the  other  hand, 
the  Methodist  service  was  always  held  at  such  an  hour 
as  would  not  interfere  with  the  regular  church  services. 
Wesley  himself  always  made  it  a  point  to  attend  divine 
service  in  the  parish  church  of  the  district  in  which  he 
found  himself,  and  he  exhorted  his  followers  to  do 
the  same.  In  consequence  of  this  attitude,  the 
Methodist  movement  was  encouraged  by  many  of  the 
clergy.  John  Wesley  tells  us  that  at  one  of  his  meetings 
at  Athlone  he  had  five  clergymen  present  among  the 
auditors.  It  is  said  that  Henry  Goldsmith,  brother  of 
the  poet,  and  curate  of  Kilkenny  West,  was  amongst 
those  who  were  attracted  by  the  Methodist  services 
at  Athlone.  The  historian  of  Irish  Methodism  most 
gratuitously  suggests  that  his  religion  had  been  up 
to  this  mere  formalism — a  suggestion  that  is  certainly 
not  borne  out  by  anything  we  know  of  the  man.  He 
says :  "  He  was  just  the  amiable  person  so  beautifully 
described  in  the  Deserted  Village,  but  like  most  of  the 
clergy  of  that  day,  was  a  stranger  to  experimental 
religion,  regarding  its  profession  as  enthusiasm." 3 
He  seems  to  have  been  greatly  impressed  with  the 
Methodist  preaching,  and  it  lends  a  certain  pathos 

'  Crookshank,  History  of  Methodism. 


METHODISM  85 

to  the  story,  when  we  learn  that  he  died  about  six 
weeks  after  he  had  been  brought  into  contact  with  the 
movement. 

But  if  some  of  the  clergy  encouraged  the  preachers, 
there  is  no  doubt,  that  many  others  opposed  them. 
Nor  need  we  wonder  at  this,  for  if    in  some  places 
Methodism  was  found  to  be  a  help  to  the  Church,  in 
many  other  places  it  was   distinctly  antagonistic.     In 
Oldcastle,  when  the  Society  was  first  established  there, 
the  congregation  in  church  increased  so  much  that  the 
building  was  unable  to  accommodate  the  crowd  that 
assembled  Sabbath  after  Sabbath.      In  other  places 
it  was  the  same,  and  if  all  members  of  the  society  had 
been  faithful  followers  of  the  founder,  there  would  have 
been  a  similar  experience  in  every  case.    Unfortunately, 
the  tendency  which  at  length  led  the  Methodists  to 
separate   from   the  Church   was   already   making   its 
influence  felt,  and  relations  consequently  often  became 
somewhat  strained.       In  Athlone,   at  one  time,  the 
Methodists  in  a  body  left  the  church,  and  it  was  only 
by  the  personal  influence  of  John  Wesley  himself  that 
they  were  induced  to  return.      He  urged  that  if  only 
for  the  sake  of  the  other  worshippers,  who  sadly  needed 
a  good  example,   the   Methodists  should  not   absent 
themselves  from  the  parish  church.      But  he  pointed 
out   also  that  the  spiritual  loss  to    themselves  was 
equally  great,  for  the  meetings  of  the  society  were  never 
intended  to  be  a  substitute  for  the  ordinary  services 
of  the  sanctuary.     Writing  in  1767,  when  the  Methodists 
of  Athlone  had  been  brought  to  a  better  mind,  he  says  : 
'  I  was  among  those  that  both  feared  and  loved  God  ; 
but  to  this  day  they  have  not  recovered  the  loss  which 
they  sustained  when  they  left  off  going  to  church. 
It  is  true  that  they  have  long  been  convinced  of  their 
mistake,  yet  the  fruit  of  it  still  remains  ;  so  that  there 


86  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF  MEATH 

are  very  few  that  retain  that  vigour  of  spirit  which 
they  before  enjoyed." 

When  such  tendencies  were  beginning  to  manifest 
themselves,  we  can  scarcely  wonder  that  the  majority 
of  the  church  clergy  viewed  the  whole  movement  with 
suspicion,  and  that  some  of  them  even  encountered  it 
with  hostility.  This  hostility  came  to  a  head  in  Meath 
in  the  year  1751,  when  a  formal  complaint  was  made 
to  the  bishop  concerning  the  action  of  the  vicar  of 
Delvin,  Mr.  Moore  Booker,  who  had  identified  himself 
in  a  very  public  way  with  the  Methodist  movement. 
The  bishop  not  only  spoke  to  Mr.  Booker  privately, 
but  mentioned  the  matter  in  his  visitation  charge, 
and  cautioned  the  clergy  against  the  delusion  that  one 
of  their  brethren  had  unhappily  fallen  under.  Some 
correspondence  ensued,  which  was  afterwards  issued 
in  pamphlet  form  by  Mr.  Booker,  and  from  which  a 
few  extracts  may  be  given,  as  throwing  light  on  the 
history  of  this  great  religious  movement.  Mr.  Booker 
only  gives  his  own  letters,  and  the  documents  to  which 
these  are  replies  have  not  been  preserved.  We  have 
therefore  only  the  statement  of  one  side  of  the  question. 
By  inference,  however,  we  may  learn  to  some  extent 
what  was  the  position  taken  by  the  bishop,  and  by 
those  of  the  clergy  with  whom  he  agreed. 

Mr.  Booker,  by  way  of  preface  to  his  letters,  gives 
a  short  address  to  the  reader.  In  it  he  complains  of 
the  action  of  the  bishop  at  the  visitation,  and  says  that, 
"  my  defection  has  since  become  a  common  topic  of 
conversation,  both  in  city  and  country."  He  goes 
on  to  say  concerning  the  Methodists  :  "I  believe  I  have 
heard  all  that  can  be  said  with  the  least  propriety 
against  them,  and  still  think  they  ought  not  to  be 
discouraged.  ...  I  must  declare  that  my  church,  at 
least  its  Communion  Table,  owes  almost  nine  in  ten 


METHODISM  87 

of  its  company  to  their  labours,  and  I  can  affirm  the 
same  of  one  or  two  neighbouring  parishes.  Were  it 
not  for  them,  we  should  meet  as  few  of  the  meaner  sort 
there  as  of  gentlemen  of  rank  and  fortune." 

Then  comes  his  letter  to  the  bishop.  In  it  he  asks 
for  advice  in  relation  to  his  behaviour  to  the  people 
called  Methodists,  who  were  increasing  in  and  about 
his  parish.  He  says  that  he  had  given  them  no 
countenance  until  he  had  enquired  into  their  tenets, 
their  lives,  and  their  conversation,  and  that  he  had 
found  them  very  strongly  attached  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  Established  Church ;  that  they  professed  no 
singularities,  except  in  a  zeal  for  faith,  purity,  and 
devotion,  that  rises  to  enthusiasm,  and  all  this 
accompanied  with  a  scrupulous  exactness  in  their 
moral  conduct.  He  then  speaks  of  the  increase  in  his 
congregations,  and  especially  in  the  number  of  com- 
municants, and  tells  how  the  Methodists  were  asking 
for  more  frequent  Communions,  which  he  was  giving 
them,  both  at  his  own  church  and  at  the  church  of 
Drumcree.  Incidentally  he  mentions  that  the  number 
of  communicants  on  Christmas  Day  in  Delvin  Church 
was  above  fifty,  and  that  on  the  day  before  he  wrote 
his  letter  to  the  bishop,  he  had  seventy  communicants 
at  Drumcree.  Among  these  seventy,  he  says,  there  were 
six  Papists,  and  he  tells  us  how,  "  it  was  not  a  little 
affecting  to  see  the  poor  creatures  open  their  mouths 
for  the  bread  to  be  put  into  them,  as  they  had 
been  used."  In  conclusion,  he  expresses  the  opinion 
that  the  clergy  should  treat  the  Methodists  with  all 
gentleness  and  indulgence.  "If  we  can  but  reclaim 
them,"  he  says,  "  from  their  enthusiasm,  and  prevail 
on  the  more  rational  members  of  the  society — for 
such  they  have  among  them — to  lead  them  into 
a  more  intelligible  manner  of  expressing  themselves 


88  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF    Ml-  A TH 

in  their  particular  assemblies,  they  may  become  such 
ornaments  to  Christianity  as  may  give  us  a  little 
sketch  of  the  apostolic  age.  .  .  .  That  they  are  casting 
out  devils  in  Christ's  name  is  undeniable,  and  we  have 
not  even  the  weak  pretence  of  the  infant  apostles  for 
the  forbidding  them,  since  it  cannot  be  said  they  follow 
not  with  us.  Besides,  if  they  be  irritated,  it  is  to  be 
feared  they  may  entirely  desert  the  Church,  and  make 
its  deplorable  breaches  wider." 

When  the  bishop  received  this  letter,  he  showed 
it  to  some  of  his  clergy,  and  consulted  with  them  as 
to  what  course  of  conduct  he  should  pursue.  He  then 
asked  Mr.  Booker  to  wait  on  him,  and  an  interview 
ensued,  in  which,  says  the  latter,  "  his  lordship  treated 
me  with  all  civility  and  paternal  affection."  The 
bishop  objected  to  the  Methodists  that  "  they  had 
arrogated  to  preach  without  any  legal  designation  to 
that  office,  being  neither  bishops,  priests,  or  deacons." 
To  this  Booker  replied  that  unordained  persons  are 
indeed  very  wisely  excluded  from  our  pulpits,  but  he 
knew  of  no  law  of  God  or  of  Protestants  that  forbade 
Christians,  even  of  the  laity,  to  assemble  themselves 
together  (at  hours  not  appointed  for  the  service  of 
God  or  man)  to  exhort  one  another,  to  confess  their 
sins  one  to  another,  and  pray  for  one  another,  to  read 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  when  merry  to  sing  psalms. 

The  bishop  then  made  a  comparison  between 
the  Methodists  and  the  Puritans,  but  Booker  again 
replied,  that  "  did  they,  like  the  Puritans  of  the  former 
age,  seduce  believers  from  the  Established  Church, 
we  should  have  reason  to  be  alarmed ;  but  the  direct 
contrary  is  manifest." 

His  lordship  went  on  to  blame  Mr.  Booker  for 
attending  the  Methodist  meetings,  and  taking  part 
in  them.  His  defence  on  this  point  was  peculiar, 


METHODISM  89 

and  showed  that  he  had  no  great  confidence  in  the 
Wesleyan  system  after  all.  "  Really,  I  thought 
myself,"  he  said,  "  as  much  in  the  way  of  my  duty  as 
some  tender  mothers  whom  I  have  known,  when 
strangers  had  got  in  to  the  nursery,  to  steal  in  lest 
they  should  have  brought  their  pockets  full  of  trash, 
and  poison  the  children  out  of  stark  love  and  kindness." 

The  bishop  named  some  clergymen  in  the  diocese 
who  entertained  opinions  antagonistic  to  the  Methodists. 
To  this  Mr.  Booker  replied  that  "  he  could  not  be 
expected  to  pay  implicit  deference  to  their  judgment, 
but  must  be  led  by  his  own  conscience."  He  then 
added,  "  The  great  Gerson's  question  must  be  mine, 
To  what  end  did  God  give  me  a  conscience  of  my  own, 
if  another  man's  must  be  my  rule  of  living  and  dying  ?  " 
He  afterwards  spoke  to  one  or  two  of  the  clergymen 
who  had  been  named  by  the  bishop,  and  he  tells  us 
that  "  their  prejudices  ran  high,  but  they  knew 
nothing  of  the  people  in  question  but  by  hearsay." 

The  interview  ended  by  the  bishop  referring  Mr. 
Booker  to  the  vicar  general  of  the  diocese,  "  for 
further  information  and  advice,  in  relation  to  the  great 
offence  he  had  to  his  brethren,  by  his  letter  to  his 
lordship."  As  a  consequence  of  this  reference,  Mr. 
Booker  wrote  a  second  letter,  a  copy  of  which  is  also 
given  in  his  pamphlet,  addressed  to  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Adam  Lyndon,  Vicar  General  of  Meath. 

In  this  he  repeats  much  of  what  he  had  already 
stated,  and  defends  himself  against  the  several  charges 
that  had  been  made  aganist  him.  The  objections 
urged  aganist  the  Methodists  seem  to  have  been 
principally  on  account  of  their  "  enthusiasm,"  by 
which  word  was  then  meant  either  fancied  inspiration, 
or  an  ill-regulated  and  misdirected  excitement  of 
religious  emotion.  To  this  charge  Booker  replies 


QO  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

that  "  the  very  low  and  ignorant  are  only  to  be  gained 
by  so  strong  and  violent  an  assault  upon  their  passions 
that  no  small  degree  of  enthusiasm  is  able  to  cany 
to  effect."  He  also  adds  that  "  these  poor  people 
in  no  way  pretend  to  prophecy,  but  depend  wholly  on 
the  ordinary  co-operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  with 
their  own,  which  they  are  persuaded  Jesus  Christ 
has  promised  them  in  His  Gospel,  on  the  condition 
of  true  faith  and  sincere  repentance.  Their  terrible 
agitations  arise  only  from  conviction  of  their  sins, 
and  their  joyous  emotions,  which  in  some  time  exceeds 
them,  from  the  apprehension  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
bearing  witness  with  their  spirits  that  they  are  the 
sons  of  God.  If  all  this  be  nonsense,  it  is  not  their  own. 
Saint  John  seems  to  have  addressed  his  First  Epistle 
chiefly  to  such  little  children,  that  they  might  (not 
suppose  or  hope,  but)  know  that  they  have  eternal  life." 
In  the  concluding  paragraph  of  the  letter,  he  tells 
that  his  son,  in  Dublin,  had  heard  some  very  ex- 
aggerated accounts  of  the  bishop's  action.  '  There 
was  a  report  about  town  that  I  was  to  be  suspended 
for  a  letter  I  had  written  to  my  bishop  concerning 
the  swaddlers."  He  says  he  is  not  afraid  of  that, 
as  indeed  he  need  not  have  been,  for  there  was  neither 
the  power  nor  the  wish  to  do  so.  But  he  goes  on  to 
tell  of  one  of  his  parishioners,  Alexander  Irwin,  who 
had  been  assaulted  in  Athboy,  "  a  town  full  of  Papists." 
The  cry,  "  a  swaddler,"  was  raised  by  the  Popish 
mob,  who  attacked  the  man  in  great  numbers,  knocked 
him  down,  and  beat  him  hi  a  most  cruel  manner,  some 
of  the  bones  of  his  hand  being  dislocated,  if  not  broken. 
'  This,  sir,"  adds  Mr.  Booker,  "  or  worse  may,  nay 
shall  be,  my  fate,  if  nothing  but  joining  cry  against 
these  poor  innocents  can  prevent  it." 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  notwithstanding  all  this 


METHODISM  QI 

championing  of  the  Methodists  by  Mr.  Booker,  they 
on  their  part  did  not  at  all  approve  of  him  or  of  his 
ministrations.  The  incident  is  one  that  is  sometimes 
referred  to  as  illustrating  the  intolerance  of  the  Church 
at  that  time.  A  recent  writer  says  concerning  it, 
'  The  Vicar  of  Delvin  might  question  the  natural 
depravity  of  man,  repudiate  the  personality  of  the 
Devil,  and  even  deny  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  as 
publicly  and  frequently  as  he  pleased,  with  no  one 
to  gainsay  or  call  him  to  account ;  but  as  soon  as  he 
showed  any  sympathy  with  Methodism,  the  bishop 
and  his  clergy  were  up  in  arms  against  him. "3 

The  slanderous  assertion  here  made  that  Bishop 
Maule  would  not  have  censured  Mr.  Booker  for  heresy 
has  absolutely  no  grounds  to  go  upon.  That  he  did  not 
approve  of  the  methods  of  the  Wesleyans  is  of  course 
manifest,  and  that  being  so,  he  had  a  perfect  right 
to  reason  with  one  of  his  clergy  as  he  did.  Methodists 
of  the  present  day  have  for  the  most  part  been  brought 
to  see  that  the  bishop  was  right.  They  have  plenty  of 
"  enthusiasm  "  in  its  modern  sense,  and  to  this  they 
owe  their  great  success  in  many  places.  But 
"  enthusiasm  "  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  word 
was  used  in  the  eighteenth  century  is  no  longer 
favoured  by  them.  Possibly  it  might  have  been  wiser 
in  the  rulers  of  the  Church  at  that  time  if  they  had 
endeavoured  to  control  and  correct  the  movement, 
instead  of  condemning  it,  but  if  they  saw  in  it — as  they 
believed  they  did — elements  that  were  objectionable, 
it  is  not  fair  to  charge  them  with  intolerance  if  they 
held  aloof  from  that  in  which  they  could  not  join 
conscientiously. 

3  Crookshank. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

BISHOPS  OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 

DURING  the  eighteenth  century  there  were  no  fewer 
than  thirteen  bishops  of  Meath.  Some  of  them  were 
quickly  promoted ;  others  only  lived  for  a  short  time 
after  their  appointment.  Both  causes  combined  to 
make  the  changes  frequent.  But  Meath  was  not 
altogether  singular  in  this  respect,  for  the  way  in  which 
prelates  were  translated  from  see  to  see  at  that  time 
would  surprise  churchmen  of  to-day.  Of  some  of 
these  bishops — Tennison,  Moreton,  Evans,  Downes, 
Lambert,  and  Ellis — we  have  already  spoken.  It 
remains  to  add  a  few  details  concerning  the  other 
bishops  up  to  the  end  of  the  century. 

On  the  death  of  Bishop  Ellis  in  1734,  Arthur 
Price,  Bishop  of  Ferns  and  Leighlin,  was  translated 
to  Meath.  It  is  observed  of  him  that  he  "  gradually 
passed  through  all  the  stations  of  the  Church,  having 
been  successively  first  reader,  then  curate,  of  Saint 
Werburgh's  in  Dublin  ;  vicar  of  Celbridge  ;  prebendary 
of  Donadea  in  Kildare  ;  rector  of  Louth  in  Armagh  ; 
archdeacon  and  canon  of  Kildare  ;  and  finally  dean 
of  Ferns  ;  whence  he  was  promoted  to  the  bishoprics 
of  Clonfert  and  Kilmacduagh,  in  May,  1724."  l  From 
Clonfert  he  was  translated  to  Ferns,  and  from  that  to 
Meath.  After  nine  years  he  was  once  more  translated 
— this  time  to  the  archbishopric  of  Cashel. 

Bishop  Evans  had  bequeathed  certain  funds  for 
the  erection  of  an  episcopal  palace  at  Ardbraccan,  and 

1  Harris's  Wart. 


BISHOPS   OF  THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  93 

had  obtained  plans  for  the  building,  which  doubtless 
he  would  himself  have  erected  if  his  life  had  been 
spared.  His  three  immediate  successors  allowed  the 
project  to  remain  in  abeyance,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  time  of  Bishop  Price  that  the  work  was  taken  in 
hand.  Price  began  by  erecting  the  offices,  which  he 
built  in  a  handsome  manner,  so  that  they  might  serve 
for  wings  of  the  principal  building.  He  had  only 
progressed  thus  far  in  the  work  when  he  was  translated 
from  Meath  to  Cashel,  and  his  successor  allowed  things 
to  remain  as  they  were,  using  part  of  the  new  offices 
as  his  dwelling-house. 

When  Price  took  up  his  abode  at  Cashel,  he  found 
that  his  predecessor,  Archbishop  Bolton,  had  under- 
taken the  restoration  of  the  old  cathedral.  It  was 
the  most  ancient  and  historically  interesting  fabric 
then  in  use  in  all  Ireland,  and  he  prized  it  as  a  relic 
of  the  ancient  Irish  Church.  It  would  not  have 
required  any  great  sum  for  the  preservation  of  the  old 
building.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was  not  easily 
accessible,  and  for  that  reason  Archbishop  Price 
abandoned  the  undertaking,  and  procured  an  Act  of 
Council  authorizing  him  to  remove  the  cathedral  from 
the  Rock  of  Cashel  into  the  town.  The  roof  of  the  old 
church  was  then  torn  away,  the  soldiers  quartered 
in  the  town  being  employed  for  the  purpose  ;  and  the 
new  cathedral,  though  begun  after  some  delay,  was  left 
unfinished  for  over  twenty  years.  An  anno  tat  or,  writing 
in  an  old  copy  of  Ware,  mentions  these  facts,  and  adds 
"  It  were  much  to  be  wished  that  he  had  never  quitted 
Meath,  for  then  the  house  of  Ardbraccan  would  have 
been  completed ;  and  the  noble,  the  venerable 
cathedral  of  Cashel  would  have  escaped  his  destructive 
hand."  * 

»  Mant. 


94  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF  MEATH 

The  next  in  the  succession  of  Bishops  of  Meath 
was  Doctor  Henry  Maule,  who  was  translated  from 
the  bishopric  of  Dromore  in  1743.  He  was  a  native 
of  Arklow,  and  was  educated  in  Trinity  College.  In 
1720  he  was  appointed  Dean  of  Cloyne,  and  in  1726 
was  promoted  to  the  bishopric  of  the  same  diocese. 
From  thence  he  was  translated  to  Dromore  in  1732, 
and  finally  to  Meath  in  1743.  Archbishop  King  says 
of  him  that  he  was  distinguished  by  his  care  for  the 
souls  under  his  charge,  and  his  charity  for  the  poor, 
his  concern  for  the  faith  and  discipline  of  the  Church, 
his  good  affection  for  his  Majesty,  and  zeal  for  his 
government  and  the  public  good. 

We  have  already  seen  how  Bishop  Maule  advocated 
the  establishment  of  charter  schools,  believing  that 
the  education  of  the  young  was  the  best  means  for 
regenerating  the  country.  He  carried  out  his  ideas 
in  his  own  neighbourhood,  and  established  one  of  these 
schools  near  his  own  house  at  Ardbraccan.  It 
continued  for  many  years  in  a  state  of  efficiency,  doing 
a  good  work.  A  writer  in  the  Hibernian  Magazine  for 
June,  1809,  gives  the  following  description  of  the 
place  : 

Being  a  few  minutes  walk  to  the  charter  school,  I  visited 
it.  I  was  never  very  partial  to  these  institutions,  and  so 
much  has  latterly  been  said  on  the  subject  in  public,  I  confess 
I  entered  the  house  with  many  prejudices  against  them.  An 
inspection  of  its  economy,  however,  convinced  me  that  these 
prejudices  were  groundless,  and  to  dissipate  them,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  visit  the  seminary  of  Ardbraccan.  There  are 
sixty  boys  in  the  establishment,  who  have  been  rescued  from 
idleness,  poverty  and  vice,  with  their  consequent  evils,  and  are 
here  trained  up  under  a  very  active  and  intelligent  master, 
in  a  way  to  render  them  useful  and  virtuous  members  of 
society.  The  Incorporated  Society  have  also  established  an 
extensive  cotton  factory,  under  the  inspection  of  the  master, 
where  twelve  looms  are  constantly  employed  on  the  premises, 


95 

and  many  other  industrious  artizans  in  that  neighbourhood. 
The  manufacture  of  cords  and  velveteens  have  been  already 
brought  to  a  high  degree  of  perfection,  which,  if  the  finishing 
were  equal,  would  for  fineness  and  durability  of  texture,  rival 
English  fabric. 

The  same  writer  tells  how  Bishop  Maule  endeavoured 
in  other  ways  to  promote  the  prosperity  of  the  place. 
He  says  :— 

Bishop  Maule,  who  held  the  See  about  seventeen  years  ago, 
was  the  founder  of  its  (Ardbraccan's)  modern  prosperity.  He 
established  here  a  colony  of  English  settlers,  at  a  time  when 
the  industry  of  the  natives  stood  much  in  need  of  the  example 
afforded  by  the  strangers,  and  divided  the  lands  into  small 
farms,  which  even  notwithstanding  the  shortness  of  the  leases, 
were  rapidly  improving.  The  late  bishop,  however,  in  his 
rage  for  improvements  of  another  sort,  deprived  their  descen- 
dants of  their  farms,  for  the  purpose  of  converting  them  into 
pasturage  and  pleasure  grounds,  and  dispersed  their  unfortunate 
inmates.  The  consequence  was  what  might  be  expected  ; 
and  Ardbraccan,  which  even  thirty  years  ago  was  a  flourishing 
village,  is  now  entirely  gone  to  decay,  not  having  above  half 
a  dozen  cottages  left. 

It  was  in  the  time  of  Bishop  Maule  that  Wilson's 
Hospital,  at  Multifarnham,  was  founded.  The  funds 
of  the  institution  were  derived  under  the  will  of  Mr. 
Andrew  Wilson,  who  died  in  1724,  and  left  his  property 
for  the  benefit  of  his  wife  and  others,  and  after  her 
death  for  the  benefit  of  his  nephew  William  Wilson. 
On  his  decease,  the  property  was  to  go  to  the  Lord 
Primate,  the  Archbishops  of  Dublin  and  Tuam,  and 
the  Bishops  of  Meath  and  Kilmore,  who  were  within 
seven  years  to  build  a  hospital,  with  school  house  and 
chapel,  and  to  open  the  institution  for  the  reception 
of  old  men  to  a  number  not  exceeding  forty,  and 
Protestant  male  children,  not  exceeding  one  hundred 
and  fifty.  He  made  various  regulations  for  the 


96  HISTORY  OP  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

management  of  the  establishment,  and  directed  that 
the  inmates  should  be  dressed  with  blue  faced  with 
orange.  He  also  provided  for  a  chaplain,  who  was  to 
be  appointed  at  a  salary  not  exceeding  twenty  pounds 
a  year,  and  who  was  to  hold  daily  service,  and  on  the 
8th  day  of  September  in  each  year  (being  the 
testator's  birth  day)  "  preach  a  sermon  to  the  aged 
men  and  children  to  be  settled  in  the  said  Hospital,  to 
keep  his  charitable  intention  in  their  remembrance." 

His  nephew,  William  Wilson,  after  having  come 
into  possession  of  the  property,  purchased  other  lands, 
which  he  left  as  an  addition  to  the  endowment,  and  on 
his  death,  in  1743,  the  whole  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  trustees  named  in  the  will  of  Andrew  Wilson, 
and  is  still  administered  by  their  respective  successors. 
There  was  a  law  suit  set  on  foot  by  the  heirs  at  law, 
who  endeavoured  to  upset  the  will,  but  it  was  com- 
promised by  a  payment  made  to  them  of  £3,412  ios., 
and  this  compromise  was  afterwards  ratified  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament,  by  which  the  trustees  were  constituted 
a  corporate  body.  The  institution  still  continues  its 
career  of  usefulness,  and  is  at  present  in  a  flourishing 
condition  under  its  efficient  warden,  the  Reverend 
Hill  Wilson  White,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Bishop  Maule  appears  to  have  been  very  diligent 
in  his  visitation  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese.  From 
his  time  we  have  a  succession  of  Visitation  Books, 
which,  though  they  give  very  little  information,  yet 
show  that  the  visitations  were  regularly  held.  A 
Diocesan  Synod  also  was  held  yearly  on  the  Thursday 
after  Whitsunday — the  Visitation  being  generally  held 
on  Wednesday  in  the  same  week.  The  synod  was 
presided  over  by  the  archdeacon,  and  in  Meath  it  took 
the  place  which  in  other  dioceses  was  taken  by  the 
Dean  and  Chapter.  The  business  transacted  at  these 


BISHOPS   OF  THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  97 

synods  was  not  very  important,  and  in  many  years 
there  is  no  report  at  all.  The  following  Minutes 
for  the  year  1747  will  show  the  class  of  subjects  that 
engaged  their  attention. 

First,  there  is  a  list  of  parishes,  with  the  names  of 
the  rector,  curate,  parish  clerk,  churchwardens,  and 
schoolmaster,  in  each  case.  Then  it  goes  on  : 

Acts  had  and  sped  in  the  annual  synod  of  the  clergy  of  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,  held  in  the  Parish  Church  of  Tryme,  in  the 
said  Diocese  of  Meath,  on  Thursday  next  following  the  Feast 
of  Pentecost,  to  wit,  the  eleventh  day  of  June,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  One  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty  and  seven, 
before  the  said  Right  Reverend  ffather  in  God  Henry  by 
Divine  Permission  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  in  presence  of 
me,  John  Harris,  Register  of  the  said  diocese. 

(Here  follow  sixty-six  names  of  clergy  attending.) 

On  which  day,  and  so-forth,  it  was  unanimously  agreed 
upon  that  for  the  time  to  come  at  every  visitation  to  be  holden 
for  the  said  Diocese  of  Meath,  each  beneficed  clergyman  of  the 
said  diocese,  whether  absent  or  present,  do  pay  for  his  dinner 
an  English  crown,  and  that  each  curate  of  the  said  Diocese  of 
Meath,  if  present  at  dinner,  do  pay  for  his  dinner  one  half  an 
English  crown.  And  it  was  likewise  agreed  that  a  proxy 
tendered  by  any  person  to  excuse  the  personal  appearance  of 
any  beneficed  clergyman  at  any  future  visitation,  shall  not  be 
received  unless  such  proctor  shall  pay  and  discharge  all  demands 
such  beneficed  clergyman  shall  be  subject  to  at  such  visitation. 

Signed  by  order, 

JOHN  HARRIS,  Register.  3 

From  the  report  of  other  synods,  we  learn  that 
the  clergy  used  to  elect  proctors  to  serve  in  Parliament, 
and  "  in  their  behalf  to  consent  to  such  things  as  shall 
be  then  and  there  enacted."  The  clergy  also  "  ratified 
and  confirmed  under  the  common  seal  "  the  commission 
of  the  vicar  general  of  the  diocese  ;  and  they  made 
arrangements  for  the  support  of  the  widows  of  the 
clergy. 

3  Record  Office,  Dublin. 
VOL.    II.  H 


98  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

In  1751  the  number  of  widows  on  the  list  was  five, 
and  amongst  them  was  the  widow  of  Charles  Goldsmith, 
and  mother  of  Oliver,  who  received  an  annuity  of 
ten  pounds  a  year.  In  connection  with  this  fact 
it  is  interesting  to  notice  that  the  Vicar  of  Wakefield 
is  represented  as  making  a  charity  such  as  this  his 
special  care.  '  The  profits  of  my  living,  which 
amounted  to  about  thirty-five  pounds  a  year,  I  made 
over  to  the  orphans  and  widows  of  the  clergy  of  our 
diocese."  In  1758  it  would  seem  that  the  fund  was 
not  progressing  satisfactorily,  and  in  the  synod  of  that 
year  it  was  "  agreed  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Atkinson,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Cope,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coghlan,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Thompson,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lightburn,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Barker,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Daine,  and  such  other  of  the 
clergy  as  will  attend,  shall  be  a  committee  to  draw  up 
and  consider  of  a  scheme  for  the  better  provision  of 
the  widows  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese,  and  that  they 
meet  as  shall  be  most  convenient  to  them  for  that 
purpose.  And  it  was  further  ordered  and  agreed 
that  all  widows  hereafter  who  intend  to  apply  for  the 
benefit  arising  by  this  fund  shall  send  a  memorial 
in  writing,  which  is  to  be  lodged  with  the  register  of 
the  diocese  previous  to  the  visitation,  setting  forth 
their  pretensions  to  it,  certified  by  the  minister  of  the 
parish  where  they  reside  ;  and  that  such  widows  who 
at  present  receive  relief  from  the  same  are  to  send 
an  affidavit  to  every  visitation  of  their  having  no  other 
relief  or  charity  elsewhere,  and  of  their  not  being 
married  at  the  respective  times  of  their  making  such 
affidavits."  The  efforts  of  the  committee  were  not 
very  effectual,  for  in  the  next  year  they  were  only 
able  to  pay  eight  pounds  to  each  widow,  "  on  account 
of  the  deficiency  of  the  fund."  This  fund  continued 
to  be  in  existence  up  to  the  time  of  disestablishment. 


BISHOPS   OF   THE   EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY  99 

Besides  the  ordinary  visitations,  Bishop  Maule 
used  to  visit  specially  parishes  in  which  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case  seemed  to  require  it.  We  have 
an  example  of  such  a  visitation  being  held  at  Laracor, 
on  the  seventh  of  August,  1750.  The  Record  4  tells 
us  that  "  Peter  Hannon,  clerk,  Vicar  of  Lercor,  other- 
wise Laracor,  in  the  said  Diocese  of  Meath,  being 
three  times  publicly  called,  appeared  personally  in 
court,  and  was  admonished  by  the  court  to  reside 
in  his  said  vicarage,  and  to  perform  the  cure  thereof 
by  the  twenty-ninth  day  of  September  next  ensuing, 
under  pain  of  contempt." 

Among  the  many  good  deeds  of  Bishop  Maule,  it 
deserves  to  be  mentioned  that  he  restored  the  tomb 
of  Bishop  Montgomery  in  the  churchyard  of  Ard- 
braccan.  A  Latin  inscription  records  how  it  had 
fallen  down  and  become  ruinous,  either  from  the 
effects  of  time,  or  more  probably  from  the  evil  deed 
of  sacrilegious  hands,  and  that  it  was  restored,  lest 
the  memory  of  the  righteous  should  be  blotted  out. 
In  the  same  tomb  were  buried  Montgomery's  wife  and 
daughter,  and  three  quaint  figures  may  still  be  seen 
with  the  initials,  G.M.,  S.M.,  and  I.M.  Maule  himself 
was  buried  in  the  same  tomb,  and  at  a  later  period 
Bishops  Pococke  and  O'Beirne  were  also  laid  to  rest 
there  beside  their  predecessors. 

It  may  be  noted,  too,  that  Maule  took  some  interest 
in  history,  and  had  at  one  time  the  intention  of  writing 
a  History  of  the  Church  of  Ireland. 5  He  wrote  to 
Archbishop  King  on  the  subject,  and  that  prelate 
replied  in  a  letter  which  discusses  the  subject,  admitting 
that  such  a  work  was  very  much  needed,  but  stating  that 
the  difficulties  in  the  way  were  so  great  that  he  had 
no  hopes  of  ever  seeing  it  accomplished.  He  says  that 

*  Record  Office,  Dublin.  B  Mant. 


IOO  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

the  clergy  "  are  put  to  such  shifts  to  live,  so  employed 
in  the  common  offices  of  their  duties,  that  they  have 
not  time  to  apply  themselves  to  anything  else ; " 
and,  as  to  the  laymen,  "  our  gentlemen  do  not  apply 
themselves  to  learning,  and  those  who  are  able  to 
employ  hands  to  collect  and  procure  the  sight  of  records 
generally  live  out  of  the  kingdom." 

The  Record  Office  of  that  day,  too,  was  not  as 
efficiently  managed  or  as  accessible  to  students  as  it 
is  at  present.  "  The  offices  where  our  records  lie 
are  kept  or  held  by  persons  that  neither  live  in  the 
kingdom,  nor  if  they  did,  were  capable  of  looking  into 
the  records.  The  poor  harpy  deputy  has  no  view 
but  to  get  money  ;  never  minds  anything  but  what 
gets  him  the  penny ;  hardly  knows  what  records  he 
has  in  his  custody  ;  and  can  neither  find  them  if  you 
inquire  for  them,  nor  let  you  peruse  them  without 
considerable  sums  and  great  costs."  With  difficulties 
such  as  these,  it  does  not  surprise  us  to  learn  that  the 
project  went  no  further. 

From  the  particulars  which  have  been  given  it 
will  be  seen  that  Bishop  Maule  was  one  of  our  most 
efficient  bishops.  He  held  the  See  of  Meath  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1758,  and  was  succeeded  by 
the  Honourable  William  Carmichael,  second  son  of 
the  Earl  of  Hyndford.  Carmichael  had  been  Arch- 
deacon of  Bucks,  and  came  to  Ireland  as  Bishop  of 
Clonfert  in  1753.  In  1758  he  was  translated  to  Leighlin, 
and  in  the  same  year  translated  again  to  Meath.  He 
continued  in  Meath  until  1765,  when  he  became 
Archbishop  of  Dublin.  There  is  nothing  particular 
to  record  of  his  episcopate. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Richard  Pococke,  well  known 
as  a  traveller,  whose  works  are  not  without  their  value, 
even  at  the  present  day.  He  was  the  son  of  an  English 


BISHOPS    OF   THE   EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  IOI 

clergyman,  and  nephew  of  Thomas  Milles,  Bishop  of 
Waterford.  His  first  episcopal  appointment  was  to 
the  See  of  Ossory,  which  he  obtained  in  1756.  From 
thence  he  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1765  ;  but  he 
survived  this  event  only  for  a  few  months,  for  he  was 
seized  with  apoplexy  while  in  the  act  of  holding  his 
first  visitation,  and  died  shortly  afterwards. 

He  was  not  only  a  traveller  but  an  antiquary,  and 
was  of  great  assistance  to  Mervyn  Archdall  in  the 
preparation  of  his  Monasticon,  supplying  him  with 
some  of  his  materials,  and  making  suggestions  as  to 
the  form  the  work  should  take.  Archdall  had  been 
domestic  chaplain  to  the  Bishop  while  in  the  See  of 
Ossory,  and  it  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  while  the 
present  Bishop  of  Down,  Doctor  Crozier,  was  Bishop 
of  Ossory,  he  had  for  domestic  chaplain  a  member  of 
the  same  family,  and  a  namesake  of  the  famous  author, 
the  Reverend  Mervyn  Archdall  Clare.  In  1786  Mervyn 
Archdall  entered  the  Diocese  of  Meath  as  Incumbent 
of  Slane,  and  in  that  parish  spent  many  years,  until 
his  death.  His  tombstone  at  Slane  is  still  preserved. 

The  following  curious  description  of  Bishop  Pococke 
is  given  by  a  Mr.  Cunningham,  and  is  quoted  in  M  ant's 
History  of  the  Church  of  Ireland.  It  not  only  tells  us 
something  about  the  bishop,  but  also  of  the  methods 
of  travelling,  and  of  the  state  affected  by  bishops, 
in  those  days. 

That  celebrated  oriental  traveller  and  author  (he  says), 
was  a  man  of  mild  manners  and  primitive  simplicity. 
Having  given  the  world  a  full  detail  of  his  researches  in  Egypt, 
he  seemed  to  hold  himself  excused  from  saying  any  more 
about  them,  and  observed  in  general  an  obdurate  taciturnity. 
In  his  carriage  and  deportment  he  seemed  to  have  contracted 
something  of  the  Arab  character  ;  yet  there  was  no  austerity 
in  his  silence,  and  though  his  air  was  solemn,  his  temper  was 
serene.  When  we  were  on  our  road  to  Ireland,  I  saw  from 


102  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

the  windows  of  the  inn  at  Daventry  a  cavalcade  of  horsemen 
approaching  on  a  gentle  trot,  headed  by  an  elderly  chief  in 
clerical  attire,  who  was  followed  by  five  servants,  at  distances 
geometrically  measured  and  most  precisely  maintained,  and 
who  upon  entering  the  inn  proved  to  be  this  distinguished 
prelate,  conducting  his  horde  with  the  phlegmatick  patience 
of  a  schiek. 

There  are  still  to  be  seen  at  Ardbraccan  several 
magnificent  cedar  trees,  which  are  said  to  be  the  produce 
of  seeds  brought  from  Lebanon  by  Bishop  Pococke. 
He  died  at  Ardbraccan,  and  was  buried,  as  we  have 
seen,  in  the  tomb  of  Bishop  Montgomery.  On  the 
south  side  of  the  monument  which  commemorates  this 
latter  prelate  there  is  an  inscription  which  tells  us  : 
"  Here  lies  interred  the  body  of  Richard  Pocock, 
Bishop  of  Meath,  who  died  September  I5th,  1765, 
in  the  63rd  year  of  his  age." 

The  next  bishop  was  Arthur  Smyth,  who  had  been 
Dean  of  Deny,  then  successively  Bishop  of  Clonfert, 
Bishop  of  Down,  and  in  1765  Bishop  of  Meath.  He 
only  continued  in  the  diocese  from  October,  1765  to 
April,  1766,  and  he  was  then  translated  to  the  Arch- 
bishopric of  Dublin.  The  following  description  of 
him  is  given  by  his  successor  in  the  See  of  Dublin, 
Archbishop  Cradock  : — 

He  was  endowed  with  talents  and  qualified  by  experience 
for  a  due  execution  of  the  great  trust  committed  to  him,  and 
both  had  received  improvements  from  (what  is  unquestionably 
a  great  acquisition,  but  at  the  same  time  a  rare  felicity  to  those 
of  our  order)  travel  and  observation.  He  had  penetration  to 
discern  at  the  most  critical  conjunctures  and  firmness  to 
accomplish  upon  the  most  trying  occasions,  what  appeared 
to  him  for  the  real  benefit  of  the  community,  either  in  Church 
or  State.  In  a  word,  his  attention  to  his  duty  kept  pace  with 
his  knowledge  of  it.6 

Bishop  Smyth  was  succeeded  by  the  Honourable 
Henry  Maxwell,  youngest  son  of  Lord  Farnham.     He 

•  Dalton's  History  of  the  Archbishops  of  Dublin,  p.  344. 


BISHOPS   OF   THE    EIGHTEENTH   CENTURY  IO3 

was  translated  from  Dromore  in  1766,  and  continued  to 
be  Bishop  of  Meath  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1798.  Of  this  long  episcopate  we  have  com- 
paratively little  record.  The  visitations  were  held 
regularly  every  year,  but  the  returns  contain  merely 
a  list  of  the  clergy,  without  any  particulars.  An 
exception  can  perhaps  be  made  for  the  return  of  1768, 
which  gives  us  a  little  more  information.  From  it  we 
learn  that  non-residence,  which  has  so  often  been 
noticed  as  one  of  the  evils  of  the  Church,  had  again 
become  exceedingly  prevalent,  and  that  no  less  than 
forty-nine  parishes  in  the  diocese  were  without  a 
resident  clergyman.  There  were  seventy-one  churches 
in  repair.  Among  the  clergy  appears  the  name  of 
Henry  Goldsmith  as  Curate  of  Kilkenny  West.  He 
was  the  brother  of  the  poet.  It  was  by  Bishop  Maxwell 
that  the  house  at  Ardbraccan  was  completed.  Doctor 
Beaufort,  in  his  Memoir  of  a  Map  of  Ireland,  says  of 
it  that  it  is  "  near  the  town  of  Navan,  erected  by  the 
present  bishop,  in  a  style  of  superior  elegance,  and  yet 
with  such  simplicity  as  does  equal  honour  to  his 
lordship's  taste  and  liberality." 

The  arrangements  for  the  housing  of  the  clergy  were 
not  as  satisfactory  as  that  of  the  bishop,  for  according 
to  this  same  work  of  Doctor  Beaufort,  there  were 
only  twenty-nine  glebe  houses  in  the  whole  diocese. 
Beaufort's  own  parish,  Navan,  was  one  of  those  without 
a  residence  for  the  clergyman,  and  he  has  to  be  counted 
also  among  the  pluralists  and  non-residents,  as  he  was 
Incumbent  of  Collon,  in  the  Diocese  of  Armagh,  where 
he  usually  had  his  abode. 

A  new  order  of  things  was  established  when  Thomas 
Lewis  O'Beirne  was  appointed  to  the  diocese  in  1798. 
But  there  is  so  much  to  tell  about  that  period,  that  the 
consideration  of  it  must  be  reserved  for  another  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  REBELLION  OF  1798. 

THE  year  which  saw  Bishop  O'Beirne  entering  upon 
his  duties  as  Bishop  of  Meath  witnessed  one  of  the  most 
calamitous  events  of  Irish  history,  the  rebellion  of 
1798.  A  few  words  must  be  said  on  this  subject  before 
we  enter  on  an  account  of  the  episcopate  of  that 
remarkable  prelate.  The  rebellion  did  not  extend 
over  so  great  a  part  of  the  country  as  did  the  insur- 
rection of  1641,  nor  was  the  movement  in  any  sense 
as  formidable.  It  was,  however,  sufficiently  extended 
to  cause  suffering  and  unrest  even  in  parts  of  the  country 
where  there  was  little  or  no  fighting,  and  it  brought 
untold  hardships  for  the  time  being  alike  on  the 
loyalists  and  on  the  rebels. 

The  leaders  of  the  United  Irishmen  were  for  the 
most  part  men  who  had  embraced  the  doctrines  of 
the  French  Revolution — a  fact  which  may  explain 
why  the  rebellion  broke  out  at  that  particular  time. 
At  first  sight  it  seems  strange  that  the  moment  chosen 
for  insurrection  was  one  when  the  country  was  making 
fairly  rapid  advance  in  prosperity,  when  penal  laws 
were  being  repealed,  when  concessions  were  being  made, 
such  as  the  establishment  of  a  Roman  Catholic  college 
at  Maynooth,  and  when  Ireland  enjoyed  a  Parliament 
of  her  own,  with  an  amount  of  independence  which 
had  hitherto  been  unknown.  But  the  spirit  of  re- 
volution was  in  the  air  ;  the  overthrow  of  the  French 
monarchy  was  a  tremendous  object  lesson  before  the 


THE    REBELLION    OF    1798  IO5 

world  ;  and  as  there  was  always  in  Ireland  a  smouldering 
discontent,  it  needed  but  this  to  fan  it  to  a  flame. 

This  fact  gave  to  the  rebellion  of  1798  an  aspect 
different  from  that  of  other  insurrections.  It  took 
from  it  the  religious  character,  and  caused  the  Roman 
Catholic  bishops  and  clergy  to  look  upon  the  movement 
with  a  considerable  amount  of  suspicion.  In  1641 
a  special  envoy  from  Rome  came  to  direct  the  insurgents 
in  their  enterprise.  In  1798,  on  the  contrary,  the 
movement  was  to  some  extent  denounced  by  the  rulers 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  A  few  of  the  ordinary 
priests,  no  doubt,  were  carried  away  with  the  tide 
of  popular  opinion,  some  others  were  deterred  by  fear 
from  expressing  themselves  publicly  in  condemnation 
of  the  insurrection,  but  several  of  the  bishops  delivered 
themselves  very  clearly  on  the  subject.  Doctor 
Plunkett,  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Meath, 
speaking  at  Drogheda  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  May, 
told  the  people  that  the  rebellion  was  a  criminal 
insurrection,  "  connected  with  principles  hostile  to 
religion,  and  to  our  reputation  for  loyalty,  in  the  cause 
of  which  Irish  Catholics  had  so  often  suffered  before." 
The  day  following,  at  Duleek,  he  assigned  as  the  causes 
of  the  rebellion,  "  the  credulity  of  the  lower  classes, 
the  decay  of  Christian  piety,  and  the  prevalence  of  the 
impious  principles  that  are  disturbing  a  great  part  of 
the  Continent."  At  Ratoath,  a  few  days  later,  he 
"  reprobated  in  the  most  pointed  terms  the  rebellion, 
as  contrary  to  the  doctrine  and  practice  of  Jesus  Christ, 
of  Saint  Paul,  of  the  primitive  Christians,  to  the  admired 
conduct  of  the  Irish  Catholics  of  the  last  century,  as 
supported  on  French  principles,  hostile  to  the  Catholic 
religion."  l 

These  warnings  came  too  late  as  far  as  Meath  was 

1  Cogan,  Diocese  of  Meath. 


IO6  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

concerned.  Already  the  insurgents  were  assembled, 
and  had  tasted  alike  of  battle  and  of  defeat.  They 
chose  the  Hill  of  Tara  for  their  meeting  place,  doubtless 
on  account  of  its  historic  associations.  In  point  of 
military  strength,  too,  they  could  scarcely  have  found 
a  more  favourable  rendezvous.  But  they  were  nothing 
more  than  a  badly  armed  mob,  and  they  were  simply 
powerless  against  the  disciplined  troops  with  which 
they  had  to  contend.  They  did  not  even  try  to  retain 
the  advantage  of  position  which  the  site  afforded, 
but  assuming  the  offensive,  left  the  height,  and  exposed 
themselves  to  the  fire  of  artillery  and  the  charges  of 
cavalry.  The  result  of  course  was  a  complete  rout, 
and  those  who  escaped  from  the  field  of  slaughter  were 
broken  up  into  small  parties,  who  fled  through  the 
country,  and  were  glad  if  they  could  reach  the  shelter 
of  their  homes  in  safety,  thenceforth  effectually  cured 
of  a  desire  for  campaigning.  At  a  later  period  there 
was  a  second  attempt  to  rouse  the  populace  in  Meath, 
but  the  punishment  of  defeat  had  proved  a  more 
effectual  lesson  than  the  exhortations  of  the  bishop, 
and  the  movement  then  met  with  no  success. 

The  ordinary  rebel,  who  shouldered  his  pike  and 
followed  the  standard  of  insurrection,  had,  it  need 
hardly  be  said,  only  the  vaguest  idea  as  to  what  were 
the  principles  of  the  Revolution.  His  one  motive  was 
hatred  to  England,  with,  it  is  to  be  feared,  a  large 
amount  also  of  hatred  to  Protestants  and  Protest- 
antism, which,  to  him  meant  almost  the  same  thing. 
Hence  we  find  that  the  houses  of  Protestants,  especially 
of  clergymen,  were  special  objects  of  attack,  and  that 
along  their  line  of  march  all  the  churches  were  wrecked, 
and  the  Bibles  and  service  books  destroyed.  For 
miles  around  the  district  of  Tara,  not  a  church  or  glebe- 
house  escaped.  In  Tara  itself,  the  curate  was  murdered. 


THE    REBELLION   OF    1798  IO7 

and  the  interior  of  the  church  destroyed.  In  the 
neighbouring  parish  of  Knockmark,  the  rebels  broke 
into  the  clergyman's  house,  and  burned  the  parish 
registers,  together  with  the  Bible  and  Prayer  Book, 
and  caused  the  parish  clerk  to  fly  for  his  life.  In 
Dunboyne  the  parson's  house  was  ruined,  "'  by  the 
vengeance  of  the  rebels  on  it,"  and  the  parish  clerk 
was  "  cruelly  murdered."  The  glebe-house  of  Agher 
was  attacked  on  two  separate  occasions.  In  Galtrim, 
the  parish  clerk  had  to  leave,  for,  "  being  a  loyal 
Protestant,  his  life  was  in  danger."  In  Kilmore  and 
Kilbrew,  the  curates  had  to  fly  in  order  to  save  their 
lives.  In  Athboy  and  several  other  places,  both  parson 
and  people  found  it  necessary  to  leave  their  homes, 
and  seek  safety  until  the  coming  of  better  times.2 

In  Westmeath,  things  were  very  much  the  same. 
Threatening  letters  were  sent ;  clergy  were  attacked  ; 
Protestant  families  had  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  The 
chaplain  of  Wilson's  Hospital,  Mr.  Radcliff,  was 
actually  wounded,  and  was  only  saved  from  the  fury 
of  the  rebels  by  the  intercession  of  the  parish  priest. 

Several  skirmishes  took  place  in  different  parts  of 
the  diocese.  In  addition  to  the  battle  of  Tara,  there 
were  engagements  at  Wilkinstown,  Moynalty,  Kil- 
beggan,  Bunbrusna,  and  Wilson's  Hospital.  When 
the  rebels  had  been  defeated  in  Wexford,  some  of 
them,  under  the  leadership  of  a  Roman  Catholic  priest 
named  Kearns,  made  their  way  into  Meath.  They 
were  dispersed  by  the  troops  which  encountered  them 
at  Clonard,  and  they  then  spread  themselves  over  the 
country,  when  they  were  hunted  down  by  twos  and 
threes.  Their  reverend  leader  was  taken  among  the 
rest,  and  was  executed  by  martial  law  at  Edenderry. 

After   the   rebellion   was   actually   crushed,    there 

J  Answers  to  Bishop  O'Beirne's  Queries.     MS.  in  Library,  T.C.D. 


108  HISTORY  OF  THB    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

continued  for  some  time  a  kind  of  petty  warfare,  caused 
by  small  bands  of  the  dispersed  rebels,  who  roamed 
through  the  country,  and  though  less  formidable  to 
the  State  it  was  a  source  of  great  danger  and  annoyance 
to  the  loyal  inhabitants.  This  was  more  especially 
the  case  in  the  western  portion  of  the  diocese.  As  a 
consequence,  martial  law  continued  to  be  administered, 
though  it  became  every  day  increasingly  difficult  to 
decide  whether  the  offenders  should  be  treated  as 
rebels  or  as  ordinary  criminals. 

As  happened  at  other  times,  our  people  suffered 
from  their  friends  as  well  as  from  their  foes.  The 
soldiers  who  were  quartered  in  different  places  were  with 
difficulty  kept  within  bounds.  At  Dunboyne  they 
burnt  most  of  the  houses,  and  a  sum  of  money  had 
afterwards  to  be  granted  to  compensate  for  the  damage 
that  they  had  done.  The  same  thing  happened  in 
several  other  places.  Wilson's  Hospital  was  turned  into 
a  military  barrack,  the  inmates  had  to  be  removed 
to  make  room  for  the  soldiers,  and  a  house  was  taken 
at  MuUingar  for  their  accommodation.  In  what  state 
the  military  left  it  after  their  occupation,  may  be 
judged  from  the  fact,  that  the  glazier's  bill  alone, 
amounted  to  thirty-eight  pounds.  At  one  time  six 
of  the  Hospital  soldiers  were  in  jail  for  robbery,  and 
a  guard  had  to  be  placed  over  the  Hospital  potatoes. 3 

Besides  trouble  of  this  kind,  the  year  of  the 
rebellion  was  a  time  of  great  financial  difficulty  for  the 
clergy  of  the  diocese.  They  derived  their  salaries  for 
the  most  part  from  tithes — a  source  of  income  always 
difficult  to  obtain.  During  the  disturbance  it  was 
found  impossible  to  collect  any  tithe,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence practically  all  the  clergy  of  Meath  were 
left  for  that  year  without  any  income. 

3  Record  Office,  Dublin. 


THE   REBELLION   OF    1798  IOQ 

Altogether  it  was  a  time  of  great  trial  to  the 
Protestant  community.  In  several  parishes  it  caused 
the  celebration  of  public  worship  to  be  suspended. 
All  through  the  diocese,  it  caused  privation  and  suffering. 
Happily,  the  movement  attained  no  very  serious 
proportions  in  Meath,  and  the  disturbances  were  of 
short  duration.  The  first  risings  in  Meath  took  place 
about  the  middle  of  the  month  of  May.  Before  the 
autumn  of  the  same  year  the  district  was  restored  to 
its  normal  condition. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

BISHOP  THOMAS  LEWIS  O'BEIRNE. 

IN  the  year  of  the  rebellion,  1798,  the  Diocese  of  Meath 
received  as  its  bishop  a  man  of  remarkable  ability, 
who  inaugurated  a  new  regime,  and  who  in  his  episco- 
pate of  twenty-two  years  brought  the  diocese  from 
a  position  of  what  seemed  almost  hopeless  disorder  to 
a  state  of  efficiency  which  it  had  not  known  since  long 
before  the  time  of  the  Reformation.  He  was  a  man 
of  no  ordinary  powers,  and  the  story  of  his  life  is  one 
of  varied  incident.  That  story  has  been  embellished, 
too,  in  a  remarkable  way  by  the  fancy  of  romancers, 
who  have  drawn  on  their  imagination  to  such  an 
extent,  that  two  biographies  might  easily  be  written — 
one  derived  from  authentic  documents,  giving  the 
genuine  facts ;  and  the  other  altogether  mythical  and 
quite  irreconcilable  with  the  former,  but  drawn  from 
published  accounts,  some  of  them  contemporary  or 
nearly  contemporary  with  the  subject  of  the  biography. 
Thomas  Lewis  O'Beirne  was  born  in  the  County 
Longford,  sometime  about  the  end  of  the  year  1747. 
His  parents  are  said  to  have  been  of  the  farming  class, 
and  in  humble  circumstances.  They  were,  however, 
sufficiently  well  off  to  be  able  to  dedicate  two  of  their 
sons  to  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood,  so  that  we 
may  fairly  conclude  that  the  expression  "  humble 
circumstances  "  must  be  taken  in  a  comparative  sense. 
In  those  days,  Roman  Catholic  priests  were  compelled 
to  seek  their  education  abroad,  and  thereby  to  incur 


BISHOP   THOMAS   LEWIS   O  BEIRNE  III 

an  expense  much  greater  than  would  be  necessary  at 
the  present  day.1  There  were,  no  doubt,  methods  by 
which  young  men  of  small  means  were  enabled  to  earn 
sufficient  during  their  college  career  to  pay  for  their 
expenses,  but  none  of  these  methods  seem  to  have  been 
adopted  by  the  brothers  O'Beirne,  and  we  may  there- 
fore conclude  that  their  parents  were  sufficiently  rich 
to  be  able  to  pay  for  the  education  of  their  two  sons 
at  the  College  of  Saint  Omer,  in  France. 

While  he  was  at  this  seminary,  the  health  of  Thomas 
O'Beirne  gave  way,  and  he  was  ordered  for  a  time  to 
the  South  of  France.  On  his  return  he  again  fell  ill, 
and  this  time  was  sent  back  to  his  native  country, 
in  hopes  that  rest  and  fresh  air  would  restore  him  to 
health  again.  It  has  been  represented  by  some  Roman 
Catholic  writers  that  he  was  on  this  occasion  virtually 
expelled.  Cogan,  in  his  Diocese  of  Meath,  says, 

O'Beirne,  during  his  stay  in  the  South  of  France,  formed 
very  suspicious  friendships,  associated  with  very  irregular 
young  men,  most  of  whom  were  medical  students,  took  to 
reading  bad  books,  then  swarming  and  perverting  the  heart  of 
France,  and  returned  to  college  at  the  expiration  of  his  leave 
of  absence  no  longer  the  same — in  fact,  an  altered  and 
dissipated  boy.  Being  attacked  a  second  time  with  the  same 
complaint,  he  was  again  ordered  out  by  the  doctor  ;  but  the 
president  of  the  college  (Doctor  Kelly)  consented  only  on 
condition  that  he  would  go  home  to  Ireland,  and  on  his  return 
bring  a  letter  from  his  parish  priest,  certifying  that  his  conduct 
was  correct,  and  that  he  frequented  the  sacraments  regularly. 

The  only  vestige  of  truth  in  this  statement  is  the  fact, 
that  if  O'Beirne  had  returned,  he  would  have  been 
expected  to  have  brought  with  him  a  letter  from  his 

1  Killeen  (Ecclesiastical  History  of  Ireland,  vol.  ii.,  p.  350)  assumes  wrongly 
that  O'Beirne  was  ordained  before  leaving  Ireland,  and  suggests  that  he 
supported  himself  while  at  St.  Omer's  College  "  by  chaplaincies  or  foundations 
for  Masses,"  which  he  discharged  ;  adding,  "  Roman  Catholic  writers,  who 
now  deny  that  O'Beirne  was  ordained  a  priest  in  this  Church,  have  forgotten 
this  usage  of  the  period." 


112  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

parish  priest.  This  was  the  usual  custom,  and  there 
was  no  reason  for  departing  from  it  in  O'Beirne's  case. 
How  far  the  charge  of  dissipation  and  the  rest  is  from 
the  real  facts  of  the  case  may  be  judged  by  a  perusal 
of  the  following  extract  from  a  letter,  written  by  Doctor 
Plunket,  afterwards  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Meath, 
and  at  this  time  one  of  the  chief  professors  in  the 
college.  The  letter,  which  was  a  long  one,  dealing 
with  a  variety  of  subjects,  and  by  no  means  a  mere 
letter  of  introduction,  was  entrusted  to  O'Beirne,  on 
his  leaving  Saint  Omer's  for  the  last  time.  In  it 
Doctor  Plunket  says  : — 

The  bearer,  Mr.  O'Beirne,  is  a  young  gentleman  of  this 
house  who  returns  to  Ireland  to  recover  his  health  by  breathing 
the  native  air  for  some  time.  His  promising  parts  and  amiable 
qualities  have  made  him  dear  to  all  the  members  of  the  society 
in  which  he  lived,  and  particularly  to  me.  I  love  and  esteem 
him  exceedingly.  Every  civility  shown  him  I  shall  acknowledge 
as  conferred  upon  myself.  As  I  am  sure  he  would  be  glad  to 
be  acquainted  with  Mr.  Austin  fa  priest  who  at  that  time  kept 
a  school  in  Dublin],  I  hope  you  will  procure  him  that  happiness 
by  introducing  him.  2 

Abandoning  the  slander  of  a  partisan  writer,  and 
taking  as  our  authority  the  contemporary  document, 
we  are  justified  in  saying  that  he  left  Saint  Omer's, 
having  gained  the  affection  of  his  companions  and  the 
approbation  of  his  superiors.  He,  however,  never 
returned.  We  have  no  further  information,  beyond 
the  fact,  that  somewhat  about  this  time  he  abandoned 
the  Church  of  Rome,  and  joined  the  Church  of  England. 
He  did  not,  however,  relinquish  the  idea  of  taking 
Holy  Orders,  and  he,  therefore,  continued  his  studies, 
only  it  was  not  at  Saint  Omer's,  but  at  Trinity  College, 
Cambridge.  Here  he  had  for  his  tutor  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Watson,  who  afterwards  became  Bishop  of 

J  Cogan,  Diocese  of  Meath 


BISHOP   THOMAS   LEWIS    O*BEIRNE  113 

Llandaff,  and  on  the  conclusion  of  his  course  he  was 
appointed  to  the  college  living  of  Grendon,  in  the 
Diocese  of  Peterborough.  He  was  accordingly  ordained 
Deacon  by  John,  Lord  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  in 
Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  on  Trinity  Sunday,  1772, 
and  was  made  priest  in  the  same  college  chapel  on  the 
sixth  of  June  in  the  following  year. 3  His  name  appears 
in  the  Marriage  Register  of  Grendon  Parish  as  the 
officiating  minister  for  the  first  time  on  November  2gth, 
1772.4  Comparing  these  dates  with  that  of  Doctor 
Plunket's  valedictory  letter  given  above  (June  6th> 
1768),  we  see  that  there  elapsed  just  four  years  from 
the  time  of  his  leaving  finally  the  Roman  Catholic 
seminary  and  his  ordination  as  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

He  retained  the  vicarage  of  Grendon  until  1776, 
when  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  chaplains  of  the 
Fleet,  and  in  that  capacity  sailed  with  Lord  Howe  to 
America^  After  his  return,  when  the  conduct  of 
Lord  Howe  was  called  in  question,  O'Beirne  wrote  a 
vindication  of  his  commander's  action  in  a  pamphlet, 
entitled,  A  Candid  and  Impartial  Narrative  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Fleet  under  Lord  Howe.  By  an 
Officer  then  serving  in  the  Fleet.  While  at  New  York 
he  preached  a  remarkable  sermon  in  Saint  Paul's 
chapel,  Trinity  Parish,  on  the  Sunday  next  following 
the  great  fire,  in  which  the  parish  church  was  destroyed. 
This  sermon  attracted  considerable  attention  at  the 
time,  and  served  to  bring  the  young  ecclesiastic  into 
notice. 

The  "  romancers "  present  this  story  somewhat 
differently.  They  place  the  appointment  to  Grendon 
at  a  much  later  period  of  his  life,  and  they  say  that 

3  Registry  of  the  Diocese  of  Peterborough. 

*  Information  kindly  furnished  by  the  Vicar  of  Grendon. 

6  Dictionary  of  National  Biography. 

VOL.    II.  I 


114  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

he  went  to  America  as  Lord  Portland's  secretary, 
when  that  nobleman  was  appointed  Governor  General 
of  Canada  ;  that  on  the  voyage  the  chaplain  of  the 
vessel  died,  and  that  O'Beirne  was  allowed  to  take 
his  place  without  question,  or  the  production  of  any 
credentials,  it  being  assumed  that  he  had  received 
Orders  in  the  Church  of  Rome  before  he  left  that 
community  ;  and  that  thus  "  O'Beirne  imposed  on  the 
duke,  having  represented  himself  as  a  priest  returning 
to  take  charge  of  a  parish  in  his  native  diocese  ;  and 
that  in  consequence  he  received  no  Orders  in  the 
Protestant  Church."  This  action  of  his  on  board  the 
fleet  is  said  to  have  been  his  "  first  formal  act  of 
apostacy."  6  All  this  is  simply  a  tissue  of  falsehoods, 
invented  by  those  whose  aim  was  to  cast  discredit 
on  one  who  had  left  their  communion.  The  Duke  of 
Portland  was  never  Governor  of  Canada,  and  O'Beirne 
never  sailed  with  him  as  secretary.  Before  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  he  had  been  already  ordained  in  the  English 
Church,  and  had  held  an  ecclesiastical  appointment 
given  him  by  the  college  in  which  he  had  pursued  his 
studies.  In  every  one  of  its  particulars,  therefore,  the 
story  is  not  only  false,  but  badly  invented  and 
impossible. 

In  O'Beirne's  lifetime  these  stories  had  already  been 
set  on  foot.  Many  in  his  own  church  believed  that  he 
had  Roman  Orders,  and  on  the  other  hand,  many 
Roman  Catholics  denied  that  he  was  ever  ordained, 
and  spoke  of  him  as  "  the  mitred  layman."  The  matter 
was  referred  to  in  Parliament  in  1825,  that  is  to  say, 
about  two  years  after  the  bishop's  death.  On  the 
sixth  of  May  in  that  year,  the  "  Roman  Catholic  Relief 
Bill "  was  under  consideration,  and  an  amendment 
was  proposed  by  Mr.  Brougham,  regulating  the  appoint- 

•  Cogan,  Diocese  of  Meath,  vol.  ii.,  p.  1 86. 


BISHOP  THOMAS   LEWIS   O'BEIRNE  1 15 

ment  of  men  who  were  in  Roman  Catholic  Orders  to 
positions  in  the  English  Church.  In  his  speech  on  that 
occasion  he  gave  as  one  of  his  arguments,  that  a  man, 
ordained  as  a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  might  obtain 
preferment,  and  even  become  a  bishop,  without  any 
Anglican  ordination,  which  he  seemed  to  think  was 
necessary  ;  and  to  show  that  this  was  not  an  imaginary 
case,  he  cited  the  instance,  that  "  Doctor  O'Beirne, 
the  late  Protestant  Bishop  of  Meath,  was  originally 
ordained  a  priest  by  the  Pope  of  Rome.  He  was  then 
a  Catholic,  but  afterwards,  becoming  a  Protestant, 
he  was  made  bishop  without  any  further  ordination."  7 
A  few  days  later  (May  loth),  Mr.  Secretary  Peel 
referred  to  this  assertion  made  by  Mr.  Brougham, 
and  stated  that  he  had  a  letter  from  Bishop  O'Beirne's 
widow,  and  that  "  that  lady  desired  him  to  state 
distinctly  in  answer  to  the  observations  in  question, 
that  the  bishop,  her  late  husband,  never  was  an  ordained 
priest  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  He  had  been  brought 
up  as  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  so  continued  until  he  was 
about  twenty  years  of  age,  when,  seeing  reason  to 
enter  the  Protestant  church,  he  went  to  Cambridge. 
At  that  university,  Doctor  Watson  was  his  tutor,  and 
he  was  ordained  for  the  first  time  as  a  deacon  of  the 
Protestant  Established  Church,  and  some  little  time 
subsequently  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England." 
Mr.  Brougham  thereupon  replied  that,  "  it  had  been 
understood  that  the  bishop  had  in  the  early  part  of  his 
life  received  Orders  from  the  Pope,  which  had  been 
afterwards  repealed.  ...  If  Bishop  O'Beirne  had  not 
received  Popish  ordination,  it  was  singular  that  this 
should  be  so  generally  credited.  He  (Mr.  B.)  in  saying 

7  Hansard.  Killeen  quotes  this  entry  in  Hansard,  but  makes  no  mention 
of  the  contradiction,  which  Hansard  also  publishes.  He  gives  his  reference  to 
Hansard,but  evidently  took  the  quotation  second-hand  from  The  Sham  Squire, 
in  which  the  same  omission  occurs. 


Il6  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

so,  only  said  what  was  generally  understood.  His 
friends  denied  it,  and  he  was  himself  satisfied.  It  was 
probable  the  mistake  might  have  arisen  from  the 
brother  of  Bishop  O'Beirne  having  been  a  Catholic 
priest."  8  This  somewhat  halting  and  ungracious 
acceptance  of  the  word  of  Mrs.  O'Beirne  shows  what 
wide  currency  the  story  had  obtained ;  but  it  will  be 
noted  that  her  account  exactly  agrees  with  that  given 
above,  which  was  derived  independently  from 
authentic  documentary  evidence. 

In  1776,  the  year  in  which  he  sailed  to  America, 
he  published  a  poem  on  "  The  Crucifixion,"  which 
seems  to  have  been  admired.  It  does  not  appear  that 
a  copy  is  preserved  either  in  the  library  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  or  in  the  National  Library.  On  his 
return  from  the  west  he  was  instituted  (5th  November, 
1779)  to  the  crown  living  of  West  Deeping,  in  the 
Diocese  of  Lincoln.  There  is  some  doubt  as  to  whether 
he  actually  took  up  residence  there.  The  present 
rector  of  that  parish  informs  me  that  the  Reverend 
White  Bates  was  curate  from  1745  to  1815,  thus 
covering  the  time  of  O'Beirne's  incumbency  ;  and  that 
during  all  that  time  "  no  rector  ever  took  a  marriage 
or  baptism  or  burial — at  least  there  is  no  signature  of 
any  in  the  registers." 

O'Beirne  at  this  time  took  to  literature,  and  gained 
some  applause  as  a  political  writer.  A  series  of 
articles  which  he  contributed  to  a  newspaper,  under 
nom-de-plume  of  "  A  Country  Gentleman,"  attacking 
the  administration  of  Lord  North,  is  said  to  have  had 
considerable  influence  in  bringing  about  the  downfall 
of  the  ministry  headed  by  that  nobleman.  He  moved 
now  in  literary  circles,  and  "  bore  an  active  and 
respectable  part  in  the  polite  literature  of  his  day. 

•  Hansard. 


BISHOP   THOMAS    LEWIS    O  BEIRNE 

Amongst  the  scholars  of  his  day  there  was  a  constant 
fire  of  jeu  d'esprits,  ballads,  epigrams,  imitations  of 
Horace,  and  copies  of  verse,  kept  up  by  Bushe,  Ogle, 
Langrishe,  Ned  Lysaght,  and  the  wits  of  their  day. 
Among  these  O'Beirne  was  not  the  least.  He  was  a  fine 
Latinist,  and  a  copy  of  verses  in  that  language,  written 
by  him,  is  among  the  best  on  the  death  of  Burke  we  can 
recollect.  It  was  no  less  beautiful  in  an  English  dress 
from  the  hand  of  Bush."  9 

Among  other  productions  from  his  pen  at  this  time, 
was  a  comedy  entitled,  "  The  Generous  Impostor," 
adapted  from  Destouches'  play,  "  The  Dissapateur." 
The  Duchess  of  Devonshire  collaborated  with  him 
in  the  composition,  and  it  was  produced  at  Drury  Lane 
Theatre  in  1780,  and  was  printed  in  the  following 
year. 

In  1782  Lord  Portland  was  appointed  to  the  Vice- 
royalty  of  Ireland,  and  O'Beirne  returned  to  his  native 
country  as  his  secretary  and  chaplain.  He  had  not 
been  many  weeks  in  Ireland  before  he  had  an  interview 
with  his  former  teacher,  Doctor  Plunket,  who  had  in 
the  meantime  become  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of 
Meath.  It  would  be  interesting  to  know  what  was  the 
subject  that  they  discussed.  Possibly  it  had  some 
connection  with  the  "  Roman  Catholic  Bill,"  just  passed 
into  law,  which  repealed  some  of  the  more  irritating 
portions  of  the  penal  code.  Possibly  the  interview  was 
of  a  more  private  character,  and  concerned  matters 
of  conscience  and  faith.  Unfortunately  the  only 
information  that  we  have  consists  of  two  entries  in 
Bishop  Plunket's  Diary.  Under  the  date  June  8th, 
1782,  we  have,  "  I  had  an  interview  this  day  with  Rev. 
Mr.  O'Beirne,  secretary  to  his  Grace  the  Duke  of 
Portland."  This  is  followed  by  another  entry,  under 

9  Will's  Lives  of  Illustrious  Irishmen. 


Il8  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

the  date  June  i8th,    "  I  wrote  this  day  to  Rev.  Mr. 
O'Beirne,  at  Dublin  Castle." 

In  after  years,  when  O'Beirne  had  become  Bishop 
of  Meath,  and  had  taken  up  his  residence  at  Ardbraccan, 
the  two  prelates  became  neighbours,  and  it  is  said  that 
they  occasionally  met,  and  that  they  lived  on  more 
or  less  friendly  terms  with  one  another.  This  is  the 
tradition  of  the  country.  It  is  partly  corroborated, 
and  perhaps  partly  contradicted,  by  the  following 
letters,  which  are  the  only  documentary  evidence  that 
we  possess.  The  first  is  from  Bishop  O'Beirne  to 
Bishop  Plunket  : 

Ardbraccan  House, 
January  nth,  1806. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, 

In  the  32nd  page  of  this  Sermon  there  is  an  expression  or 
two  that  you  may  interpret  into  something  unpleasant  to  your 
feelings,  but  I  hope  that  with  some  things  in  which  we  both 
may  differ  from  each  other,  we  shall  ever  indulge  mutual  charity; 
and  I  request  you  to  accept  this  copy  of  my  Sermon  on  the 
Thanksgiving  Day  as  a  testimony  of  that  affectionate  attach- 
ment which,  as  it  began  in  early  life,  no  circumstance  is  ever 
likely  to  affect  or  weaken,  notwithstanding  the  different 
situations  into  which  we  have  been  thrown.  In  one  thing  I  am 
persuaded  we  shall  never  differ,  the  earnest  desire  of  inculcating 
the  superintending  providence  of  God,  of  promoting  Christian 
morals,  and  encouraging  a  disposition  of  peace  and  submission 
to  the  laws  in  this  distracted  country. 

I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

With  every  sincere  attachment  and  respect, 
Your  very  faithful  humble  Servant, 

T.  L.  MEATH.  «o 

The  sermon  to  which  reference  is  made  was  preached 
in  Kells  Church  on  the  Thanksgiving  Day  for  the  battle 

10  Cogan. 


BISHOP  THOMAS   LEWIS   o'BEIRNE 

of  Trafalgar.  A  hundred  years  later,  when  the 
centenary  of  that  Thanksgiving  Day  was  celebrated, 
the  sermon  was  again  repeated  in  Kells  Church,  before 
the  bishop  of  the  diocese  and  a  large  and  deeply 
interested  congregation.  The  passage  to  which 
reference  is  made  in  the  bishop's  letter  is  as  follows  : 

The  contrary  experiment  has  been  made  for  us.  A  nation 
has  tried  what  it  is  to  be  without  religion,  without  morals, 
without  a  God  in  this  world.  The  result  has  been  that  the  most 
signalized  of  these  desperate  experimentalists,  JI  the  favourite 
champion  of  infidelity  and  all  its  train  of  abominations,  was 
the  first  to  overturn  its  polluted  altars,  to  abolish  its  impure 
rites.  He  has  since  changed  his  ground,  but  he  has  preserved 
a  consistency  of  character.  From  the  extreme  of  irreligion, 
he  has  passed  to  the  extreme  of  superstition  (extremes  that 
invariably  meet),  and  he  exhibits  to  the  world  a  mockery  of 
religion  ;  a  display  of  theatrical  rites,  blasphemously  engrafted 
on  the  awful  ceremonies  of  our  religion  ;  a  spurious  mixture 
of  discordant  morals,  neither  heathen  nor  Christian,  which 
every  sect  and  denomination  who  profess  the  Gospel  agree  to 
reprobate.  If  we  have  been  preserved  from  this  innovating 
spirit,  if  we  have  checked  the  inroads  of  infidelity,  and  the 
religion  established  among  us  be  yet  untainted  by  the  super- 
stition that  surrounds  us,  let  us  show  our  gratitude  in  the  only 
way  that  promises  to  secure  these  inestimable  blessings  to  us 
and  to  our  children.  The  religion  we  profess  is  pure  in  faith, 
it  must  be  equally  pure  in  practice.  I* 

Bishop  Plunket  replied  to  O'Beirne's  letter  as 
follows  : 

Navan, 

yd  of  March,  1806. 
MY  LORD, 

Unavoidable  avocations  and  excursions  have,  until  this 
morning,  prevented  me  from  acknowledging  the  receipt  of 
your  friendly  letter,  and  a  copy  of  your  Thanksgiving  Sermon, 
handed  to  me  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Butler.  This,  coming  from  your 
Lordship,  as  a  "  testimony  of  affectionate  attachment,"  I  accept 

11  Napoleon  Buonaparte.  1J  Sermons  by  Bishop  O'Beirnc. 


120  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

with  thanks.  I  have  perused  it.  When  I  say  that  I  admire 
many  fine  passages,  the  offspring  of  a  lively  bright  imagination 
and  of  a  cultivated  mind,  deeply  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the 
awful  dispensations  of  the  providence  of  God,  your  Lordship, 
I  am  sure,  does  not  expect  I  should  admire  the  whole  32nd 
page.  It  is  not  that  any  expressions  it  contains  affect  me 
personally.  No.  To  be  candid,  my  Lord,  I  assure  you,  I 
cannot  without  smiling  read  assertions  that  impute  "  super- 
stition "  to  the  religion  of  Bourdaloue,  Flechier,  Massillon, 
Bossuet,  Fenelon.  But  the  numerous  body  of  people  with 
whom  I  have  the  honour  to  be  peculiarly  connected  read  with 
other  dispositions.  They  consider  such  expressions  as  un- 
provoked abuse.  In  vain  would  I  attempt  to  reconcile  them 
to  it  by  alleging  custom,  almost  constant  custom  ;  much  less 
could  I  pretend  to  convince  them  that  unprovoked  abuse  is 
calculated  to  heal  the  bleeding  wounds  of  our  distracted  country, 
to  promote  concord,  to  answer  any  one  Christian  or  social 
purpose.  The  man  who  stands  in  my  place  is  not  free  to  dis- 
regard the  feelings  of  his  flock.  Hence  I  am  placed  with  respect 
to  your  Lordship  in  a  singular  predicament — a  predicament 
which  casts  a  gloom  upon  and  thwarts  the  intercourse  I  should 
wish  to  maintain.  My  own  occasional  feelings  I  can  command, 
or  even  sacrifice,  if  necessary,  to  ancient  friendship,  and  to  the 
remembrance  of  former  times.  We  differ  in  some  things  from 
each  other  ;  but  this  difference,  how  great  soever,  shall  not 
extinguish  a  single  spark  of  charity  in  my  breast — prevent  on 
my  part  the  discharge  of  the  slightest  obligation  which  this 
first  of  all  i:he  virtues  prescribes.  The  great  duties  to  which 
your  Lordship  alludes,  and  in  which  we  perfectly  agree,  have 
employed  no  small  portion  of  my  time  these  six  and  twenty 
years  past.  The  decline  of  life  and  the  near  approach  of  eternity 
will  not  lessen  their  importance  in  my  mind,  nor,  I  hope, 
diminish  the  attention  they  claim. 

With  sentiments  of  respectful  and  affectionate  attachment, 

I  am,  my  Lord, 
Your  Lordship's  obedient  and  humble  Servant, 

Ifc  P.  J.  PLUNKETT.  '3 

As  far  as  authentic  evidence  goes,  O'Beirne's  first 
connection  with  the  Duke  of  Portland  was  when 
he  accompanied  him  to  Ireland  as  chaplain  in  1782. 

1JCogan. 


BISHOP   THOMAS    LEWIS    O  BEIRNE  121 

There  is,  however,  a  story,  which  has  found  its  way 
into  some  historical  works,  which  tells  of  a  previous 
introduction  to  the  duke,  in  an  accidental  way,  at  a 
country  inn.  It  is  said  that  O'Beirne  was  returning 
to  Saint  Omer's  College,  and  that  on  his  way  he  arrived 
at  a  village  in  England  where  the  whole  stock  of 
provisions  that  the  hotel  possessed  was  a  small  shoulder 
of  mutton.  He  ordered  this  to  be  cooked  for  his 
dinner,  but  while  it  was  in  process  of  preparation,  two 
other  travellers  arrived,  and  as  they  also  wanted 
something  to  eat,  it  was  after  some  discussion  agreed 
that  they  should  be  O'Beirne's  guests,  and  that  all 
together  should  partake  of  the  mutton.  The  travellers 
turned  out  to  be  Charles  Fox  and  the  Duke  of  Portland, 
and  they  were  so  charmed  with  the  young  man's 
conversation  that  the  duke  invited  O'Beirne  to  visit 
him  in  London,  which  he  did,  and  thus  laid  the 
foundation  for  all  his  future  fortune.1 4 

No  two  writers  agree  altogether  in  the  details  of 
this  story.  The  scene  is  laid  by  some  in  Wales,  and 
according  to  them  O'Beirne  was  not  on  his  way  to 
France,  but  was  going  to  London  in  search  of  literary 
employment.  The  incident  of  the  shoulder  of  mutton, 
too,  is  sometimes  suppressed,  and  instead  of  it,  we  are 
told  that  Portland  and  Fox  were  conversing  in  French, 
and  that  O'Beirne  told  them  that  if  they  had  any 
secrets  to  speak  about,  it  was  well  that  they  should 
know  that  he  understood  that  language  perfectly.^ 
It  is  evident  from  these  variations  that  the  story  only 
represents  the  current  gossip  of,  the  time,  which  each 

14  Croly,  Life  and  Times  of  George  IV.,  published  in  1830. 

15  Letter  from  Mr.  Wm.  Forde  given  by  Fitzpatrick  in  The  Sham  Squire. 
Mr.  Forde  added  in  a  postscript,  "I  knew  Doctor  O'15eirne.   He  was  in  his 
manner  a  perfect  and  accomplished  gentleman.     He  was  an  admirable  writer. 
I  have  seen  some  of  his  pamphlets.   The  late  Doctor  Pluiiket,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
was  Professor  in  the  Irish  College  when  Doctor  O'Beirne  was  a  student  in    it, 
and  as  they  lived  within  two  miles  of  each  other,  the  usual    courtesies  of  life 
were  observed  between  the  rival  prelates.      The  professor  outlived  the  pupil 
several  years.    Bishop  O'Beirne  died  in  1822." 


122  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

succeeding  narrator  embellished  according  to  his  fancy. 
We  cannot  disprove  it,  as  in  the  case  of  the  other  stories. 
All  that  we  can  say  is,  that  it  is  highly  improbable. 
It  is  more  likely  either  that  O'Beirne  was  brought  under 
Portland's  notice  by  Lord  Howe,  or  that  his  political 
writings,  which  attracted  considerable  attention  at  the 
time,  caused  him  to  be  chosen  as  secretary  by  the 
newly  appointed  Lord  Lieutenant. 

Lord  Portland's  viceroyalty  lasted  only  a  short 
time,  and  on  his  return  to  England  O'Beirne  also  left 
Ireland,  and  was  appointed  to  a  crown  living  in  England. 
The  next  year,  1783,  he  took  the  degree  of  S.T.B.  at 
Cambridge,  and  later  on  in  the  same  year  he  married 
at  Saint  Margaret's,  Westminster,  Jane,  the  only 
surviving  child  of  the  Honourable  Francis  Stuart, 
third  son  of  the  seventh  Earl  of  Moray.  He  had  one 
son  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom  died  unmarried. 

There  is  still  another  story — apocryphal  like  the 
rest — which  refers  to  this  period  of  O'Beirne' s  life. 
In  1785  the  Prince  of  Wales,  afterwards  King  George 
IV.,  was  married  privately  to  Mrs.  Fitzherbert,  and  it 
is  confidently  asserted  that  it  was  O'Beirne  who 
officiated  on  that  occasion.  There  is  no  documentary 
evidence,  for  in  the  certificate  of  marriage  the  name 
of  the  officiating  clergyman  is  carefully  cut  out — 
presumably  by  Mrs.  Fitzherbert  herself.  This  story 
seems  to  have  arisen  in  connection  with  the  supposition 
that  O'Beirne  had  received  ordination  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  It  was  assumed  that  Mrs. 
Fitzherbert,  being  a  Roman  Catholic,  would  have  been 
disposed  to  secure  the  services  of  a  clergyman  whose 
Orders  were,  according  to  her  ideas,  valid.  But 
there  seem  to  have  been  no  other  grounds  to  go 
upon,  and  the  whole  thing  is  a  matter  of  conjecture. 
Sir  William  Cope,  who  seems  to  have  been  particularly 


BISHOP  THOMAS  LEWIS  O'BEIRNE  123 

well  informed  on  the  subject,  gave  it  as  his  opinion 
that  O'Beirne  "  never  could  have  married  George  IV. 
to  Mrs.  Fitzherbert."  * 

O'Beirne  came  to  Ireland  once  more  in  1791,  when 
he  was  appointed  Rector  of  Templemichael,  in  which 
parish  the  town  of  Longford  is  situated.  This  was 
his  native  county,  and  it  is  even  said  that  his  brother 
was  Roman  Catholic  priest  of  the  parish  during  the 
time  that  he  held  the  incumbency. 

On  the  appointment  of  Lord  Fitzwilliam  to  the 
viceroyalty  in  1795,  O'Beirne  once  more  became 
secretary  and  first  chaplain  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant, 
and  almost  immediately  afterwards  he  was  promoted 
to  the  bishopric  of  Ossory,  from  which  he  was  translated 
in  1798  to  the  bishopric  of  Meath.  At  the  same  time 
he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council.  He 
now  devoted  himself  to  the  affairs  of  our  diocese  with 
wonderful  energy  and  conspicuous  success.  He  did  not, 
however,  give  up  politics  altogether.  He  became  a 
strong  advocate  for  the  Union,  and  when  a  petition 
was  presented  from  residents  in  the  County  Meath 
who  objected  to  that  measure,  he  drew  up  a  "  Protest," 
which  was  signed  by  many  owners  of  property  in  the 
district,  and  was  specially  commended  by  the  bishop 
to  his  clergy,  because  "  they  above  all  others,  are 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  measure."  It  is  at 
once  an  able  and  temperate  exposition  of  the  reasons 
which  led  O'Beirne  and  many  others  at  that  time  to 
wish  that  the  union  of  the  two  countries  should  be 
accomplished.  It  is  as  follows  : 

We,  the  undersigned  Noblemen,  Clergy,  Gentlemen,  Free- 
holders, and  Inhabitants  of  the  County  Meath,  having 
thoroughly  considered  the  purport  of  certain  resolutions 
published  in  the  newspapers,  and  assuming  to  be  the  sense  of 
the  County  on  the  proposal  of  a  Legislative  Union  with  Great 

18  Fitzpatrick,  Sham  Squire,  second  edition. 


124  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Britain,  feel  it  a  justice  we  owe  ourselves  to  protest  against 
such  assumption,  and  to  claim  a  right  of  expressing  our  own 
judgment  on  a  measure  that  so  materially  affects  our  general 
and  individual  interests. 

We  cannot  contemplate  the  various  disasters  and  calamities 
that  have  so  uniformly  succeeded  each  other,  for  such  a  series 
of  years,  in  this  distracted  country,  without  being  impressed 
with  a  conviction  that  something  is  essentially  and  radically 
defective  in  our  political  system,  and  that  some  more  effectual 
measures  must  be  resorted  to  than  have  been  hitherto  provided, 
to  remedy  the  evils  to  which  the  public  state  is  so  constantly 
exposed. 

In  the  proposal  of  a  Legislative  Union,  as  promising  to  be 
conducive  to  this  happy  end,  we  see  nothing  to  alarm  us  for  our 
independence  or  our  interests  ;  nor  can  we  comprehend  how 
such  a  measure  can  be  either  injurious  or  degrading  to  either 
of  the  coalescing  parties,  while  the  terms,  both  as  to  constitution 
and  commerce,  are  to  be  discussed  and  settled  by  each  nation 
exercising  its  own  independent  powers  of  deliberation  and 
decision. 

We  agree  with  some  of  the  best  and  wisest  men  in  both 
kingdoms  in  conceiving  the  strongest  hopes  that  a  Union  se 
attained  would  remove  every  cause  of  distrust  and  jealousy 
between  the  two  countries  ;  that  it  would  consolidate  the  power 
and  resources  of  the  empire,  and  preclude  the  common  enemy 
from  all  hope  of  converting  our  divisions  into  an  instrument 
of  separation  ;  that  it  would  open  a  prospect  of  composing  those 
religious  dissensions  to  which  we  can  trace  so  much  of  the 
public  misery  ;  and  that  it  would  introduce  among  our  people 
English  capital,  English  manufacture,  English  industry,  habits 
and  manners. 

Under  these  impressions,  we  trust  that,  whenever  his 
Majesty  shall,  in  his  wisdom,  think  proper  to  communicate 
to  our  legislature  the  result  of  the  enlightened  and  temperate 
deliberations  of  the  Lords  and  Commons  of  Great  Britain  on 
this  momentous  question,  it  will  be  received  with  the  attention 
that  is  due  to  the  common  sovereign,  and  to  the  Parliament  of  a 
country  with  which  we  wish  to  be  for  ever  united  in  affections 
and  interests;  and  we  expect  that,  in  giving  it  a  full  and  dis- 
passionate discussion,  our  representatives  will  manifest  to  both 
kingdoms  that  they  have  nothing  in  view  but  the  peace  and 
prosperity  of  Ireland,  as  essentially  inseparable  from  the  peace 
and  prosperity  of  the  empire.1? 

17  Memoirs  of  Lord  Castlerea*ti. 


BISHOP   THOMAS   LEWIS    O'BEIRNE  125 

Bishop  O'Beirne  also  drew  up  a  memorandum, 
which  he  presented  to  Lord  Castlereagh,  on  the  special 
subject  of  the  union  of  the  two  Churches.  His  argument 
is  that  "  the  maxim  laid  down  by  Archdeacon  Paley 
has  been  greedily  adopted  and  zealously  inculcated 
in  this  kingdom  by  all  the  sectaries,  but  particularly 
by  the  Roman  Catholics.  The  established  religion 
ought  to  be  that  which  prevails  among  the  majority 
of  the  people  ;  the  faith  of  the  nation  ought  to  be 
consulted,  and  not  that  of  the  magistrate."18  He  shows 
that  as  long  as  the  Church  of  Ireland  remains  distinct 
this  maxim  will  keep  alive  the  expectation  of  our 
adversaries,  "  but  let  the  distinction  cease,  and  the 
Church  of  England  be  the  only  church  of  the  empire — 
let  this  be  done,  and  Paley 's  maxim,  whatever  the 
intrinsic  weight  it  possess  may  be,  will  cease  to  apply." 
He  anticipates  considerable  opposition  from  some  of 
his  brother  bishops.  "  The  present  primate,"  he  says, 
"  as  well  in  temper  and  manners  as  in  many  points  of 
learning,  may  well  rank  with  Primate  Ussher.  But 
the  bench  is  not  without  some  of  a  different  description 
—violent,  impracticable,  condemning  and  opposing 
whatever  does  not  originate  from  themselves,  and  not 
likely  to  brook  any  appearance  of  subordination  to  the 
See  of  Canterbury,  which  would  be  necessary  to  this 
plan."  All  this  is  a  bygone  controversy  now,  but  it  is 
at  least  interesting  to  know  what  were  the  anticipations 
of  those  who  advocated  that  important  measure. 

Another  subject  in  which  he  took  a  very  great 
interest  was  the  establishment  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
College  at  Maynooth.  He  was  strongly  in  favour  of 
that  institution,  for,  he  urges,  "  if  the  Roman  Catholic 
clergy  must  go  for  their  education  to  countries  hostile 
to  England,  they  will  imbibe  those  civil  prejudices, 

lf<  Memoir  and  Correspondence  of  Viscount  Castlereagh. 


126  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

and  that  spirit  of  hatred  and  resentment,  of  which 
France  and  Spain  have  uniformly  availed  themselves, 
ever  since  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  to  raise  up  a 
party  for  themselves,  and  to  excite  domestic  distur- 
bances in  Ireland."  He  says  that  "  one  of  the  great 
objects  of  the  institution  was  to  bring  the  education 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy,  on  whom  the  morals  and 
conduct  of  the  Roman  Catholic  body  so  exclusively 
depend,  into  contact  with  the  government,  and  to 
subject  them,  as  far  as  might  be,  without  outraging 
their  religious  prejudices,  under  its  control."  A 
certain  number  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Maynooth 
were  at  that  time  Protestants,  and  O'Beirne  proposes 
that  the  number  should  be  increased.  "At  all  events, 
he  says,  "  I  hope  and  trust  that  the  majority  of  the 
visitors  will  be  Protestants,  and  that  the  Archbishop 
of  Dublin,  as  Metropolitan  of  the  Province,  and 
the  Bishop  of  Kildare,  as  Diocesan,  will  be  of  the 
number.  I  should  also  hope  that,  to  connect  the 
institution  in  some  way  with  the  University  of 
Dublin,  the  provost  would  be  a  visitor,  and  some  of  its 
professors  or  fellows  acting  trustees.  .  .  .  The  present 
prejudices  of  the  Popish  bishops  may  repugn  at  this 
introduction  of  Protestant  prelates,  but  if  the  govern- 
ment is  firm  in  requiring  it,  they  will  give  way."  >9  He 
thinks  that  by  this  method  it  might  be  possible  to 
establish  a  certain  amount  of  independence  in  the 
Irish  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  that,  as  most  of  the 
Popish  bishops  and  the  president  of  the  college  have 
been  educated  in  France,  "  they  will  have  the  less 
objection  to  make  the  immunities  of  the  Gallican 
Church,  and  the  boundaries  which  it  established  between 
the  spiritual  and  temporal  power,  and  against  the 
encroachments  of  the  See  of  Rome,  the  basis  of  their 

19  Castlereagh,  Correspondence. 


BISHOP   THOMAS   LEWIS    o'BEIRNE  127 

National  Church  in  Ireland."  The  good  bishop  lived 
long  enough  afterwards  to  learn  that  most  of  these 
his  anticipations  were  doomed  to  disappointment. 

Bishop  O'Beirne's  work  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  will 
be  treated  in  another  chapter.  A  few  words  may  be 
added  here  on  his  ability  as  a  preacher.  On  this 
subject  we  cannot  do  better  than  quote  from  one  who 
actually  heard  him.  In  one  of  Mrs.  Piozzi's  letters  to 
a  friend,  she  says,  "  Give  me  a  hint,  dear  sir,  a  taste 
merely,  of  that  stream  of  calumny,  which,  according 
to  the  Bishop  of  Meath,  rolls  down  the  streets  of  our 
favourite  towns,  taking  a  little  fresh  venom  at  every 
house  it  passes."  She  refers  to  a  sermon  preached 
by  the  bishop  at  Bath,  and  concerning  it  the  compiler 
of  "  Piozziana  "  gives  the  following  note  : — 

The  Bishop  of  Meath  mentioned  by  Mrs.  Piozzi  was  O'Beirne, 
who  has  been  some  years  dead.  I  heard  the  sermon  in  which 
he  introduced  the  above-quoted  passage  on  calumny.  The 
figure  of  the  stream  is  a  happy  one,  but  only  of  a  piece  with  all 
his  fine  pulpit  essays.  His  composition  was  invariably  a  rich 
specimen  of  the  calm  and  correct  in  writing.  His  style,  without 
being  in  the  slightest  degree  gorgeous,  was  never  less  than 
elegant ;  his  metaphors  were  never  broken  nor  misapplied  ; 
every  word  seemed  to  drop  from  his  pen  precisely  in  its  proper 
place  ;  and  although  each  paragraph  was  as  finished  in  itself 
as  it  could  be,  he  had  scarcely  an  auditor  in  what  is  termed  a 
refined  congregation  who  might  not  have  imagined  that  he 
could  have  written  exactly  as  the  bishop  wrote.  To  this 
style  his  manner  was  admirably  suited.  In  his  action  and 
emphasis  he  was  never  theatrical  nor  ever  tame,  but  from 
first  to  last  abounded  in  gentle  earnestness.  The  whole 
discourse  was  in  truth  so  engaging,  and  so  full  of  charms,  that 
people  used  constantly  to  say  what  a  pity  it  was  that  he  made 
his  sermons  so  short,  whereas  in  fact,  he  never  preached  for 
less  than  half  an  hour  at  a  time.  This  feeling  on  the  part  of  his 
hearers  was  universal,  and  no  doubt  a  high  compliment  to 
his  powers.  The  effect  of  what  he  delivered,  particularly 
during  his  latter  years,  was  heightened  by  his  appearance. 
He  wore  not  a  little  greyish-blue  wig,  as  English  prelates  do, 


128  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

but  long  flowing  snow-white  locks,  and  had  a  face  like  Sterne's 
monk,  mild,  pale,  and  penetrating,  with  a  small  sparkling  eye, 
as  keen  as  a  viper's,  while  his  voice— one  of  exquisite  modulation 
— did  all  that  loudness  and  vehemence  could  have  done, 
without  ever  sounding  as  if  raised  to  its  utmost.  He  was 
altogether  a  man  of  first  rate  natural  talents. 

Quite  a  number  of  the  bishop's  sermons  have  been 
published,  and  they  fully  bear  out  the  high  praise  which 
is  here  given.  The  following  list  of  his  works  is  taken 
principally  from  Cotton's  Fasti. 

A  pamphlet,  entitled  "  The  Gleam  of  Comfort." 

"  The  Crucifixion,"  a  Poem,  4to,  1776. 

"  The  Generous  Impostor,"  a  Comedy,  8vo,  1780. 

A  series  of  Essays  (in  a  newspaper),  under  the  signature  of 
"  A  Country  Gentleman,"  1780. 

"  A  Short  History  of  the  Last  Session  of  Parliament." 
(Anonymous). 

"  Considerations  on  the  Late  Disturbances,"  by  a  Consistent 
Whig,  8vo,  1781. 

"  Considerations  on  the  Principles  of  Naval  Discipline  and 
Courts  Martial,"  8vo,  1781. 

A  "  Fast  "  Sermon,  Dublin,  1794. 

Three  Charges  delivered  to  his  Clergy,  in  1795,  1796,  and 
1797.  4to,  Dublin.  (These  Charges  were  delivered  while  he 
was  Bishop  of  Ossory.  They  deal  largely  with  the  subject  of 
non-residence.) 

A  Circular  Letter  to  the  Clergy  of  the  Diocese  of  Ossory,  4to, 
1797. 

The  foregoing  Charges  and  Letter,  with  four  Occasional 
Sermons,  printed  together,  8vo,  1799. 

"  A  Candid  and  Impartial  Narrative  of  the  Transactions 
of  the  Fleet,  under  Lord  Howe."  By  an  Officer  then  serving 
in  the  Fleet,  1799.  (This  was  a  vindication  of  the  conduct 
of  Lord  Howe,  published  seemingly  on  the  death  of  that 
nobleman.) 

"  A  Sermon  before  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,"  4to,  1801. 

"  The  Ways  of  God  to  be  Vindicated  only  by  the  Word  of 
God,"  a  Sermon.  8vo,  1804. 

"  A  Charge  to  the  Clergy  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath,"  8vo, 
1805. 


BISHOP   THOMAS   LEWIS   O  BEIRNE  I2Q 

"  A  Letter  to  Dr.  Troy,  on  the  Coronation  of  Bonaparte," 
by  Melancthon. 

"  The  Wisdom  and  Justice  of  Ascribing  to  the  Hand  of 
God  every  event  of  Great  Moment  and  Utility  to  Mankind," 
a  Sermon  preached  on  the  Day  of  General  Thanksgiving  for 
the  Victory  of  Trafalgar. 

"  A  Letter  from  an  Irish  Dignitary  to  an  English  Clergyman, 
on  the  Subject  of  Tithes  in  Ireland."  (Anonymous),  1807, 
reprinted  1822, 

A  Sermon  at  the  Magdalen  Asylum,  Dublin,  8vo,  1807. 

A  Letter  to  the  Earl  of  Fingall.  (Anonymous).  8vo,  Dublin, 
1813. 

"  Christian  Worship,"  a  Sermon.  8vo,  Bath,  1819. 

"  Sermons  on  Important  Subjects,"  2  vols,  8vo. 

"  Circular  Letter  to  the  Rural  Deans  of  the  Diocese  of 
Meath,"  1821. 


VOL.    II.  K 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
MEATH  IN  1799. 

WHEN  Bishop  O'Beirne  came  into  possession  of  the  See 
of  Meath,  his  first  care  was  to  ascertain  exactly  the  state 
of  the  diocese.  He  manifestly  had  ideas  as  to  the  duties 
and  powers  of  a  bishop  very  different  from  those 
which  had  long  obtained  in  the  Church  of  Ireland. 
To  his  mind  the  Bishop  was  a  real  overseer  and  ruler, 
and  his  duty  was  to  see  that  every  one  of  his  sub- 
ordinates performed  faithfully  the  cure  of  souls  to 
which  he  had  been  appointed.  He  accordingly  without 
delay  issued  a  paper  of  queries,  which  was  sent  to 
each  clergyman  in  the  diocese,  asking  for  information 
as  to  the  services  held  in  the  several  churches,  the  state 
of  the  church  fabrics,  the  provision  made  for  education, 
and  a  variety  of  other  topics.  The  replies  given  to 
these  queries  have  been  preserved,  and  a  copy  of  them, 
bound  together  in  one  volume,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
Library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  The  Record  Office 
also  preserves  two  manuscripts,  one  containing  the 
bishop's  comments  on  these  replies,  and  the  other, 
the  directions  given  by  him  in  each  case  to  the  clergy 
at  the  subsequent  visitation.  The  three  documents 
taken  together  give  us  very  complete  information 
as  to  the  state  of  the  Church  in  Meath  at  the  beginning 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  from  these,  for  the 
most  part,  that  the  present  chapter  has  been  compiled. 
The  first  point,  which  comes  out  very  strongly 
indeed,  was  the  alarming  prevalence  of  pluralities  and 


MEATH   IN    1799  131 

non-residence.  We  have  seen  that  these  two  evils 
had  clung  to  the  Church  through  all  its  history  from  the 
time  of  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion.  It  was  never 
more  rife  than  at  this  time.  There  was  scarcely  an 
important  parish  in  Meath  the  incumbent  of  which 
did  not  possess  another  parish  in  a  different  diocese. 
Some  of  these  lived  in  Meath,  and  were  non-resident 
elsewhere.  Others  served  their  Meath  charge  by 
means  of  a  curate.  Others,  again,  wholly  neglected 
their  duty,  and  left  their  people  without  any  spiritual 
provision.  The  Rector  of  Kells,  for  example,  had  a 
parish  also  in  Ossory.  The  Incumbent  of  Navan  lived 
in  the  Diocese  of  Armagh,  and  had  a  parish  there. 
The  incumbents  of  Athboy,  Donaghpatrick,  and  Slane 
were  all  beneficed  in  Dublin  ;  and  so  on,  throughout 
the  whole  of  the  diocese.  Besides  these,  there  were 
some  who  resided  in  England  or  elsewhere,  drawing 
their  stipends  from  Meath,  and  performing  their  duty 
either  by  deputy  or  not  at  all. 

This  was  a  subject  on  which  O'Beirne  felt  strongly. 
He  referred  to  it  in  his  Primary  Charge,  delivered 
in  the  Diocese  of  Ossory,  and  said  that  a  man  who 
absented  himself  from  his  parish,  even  when  it  was 
one  without  church  or  glebe-house,  was  "  violating 
all  that  he  owed  to  the  redeemed  of  Christ,  whom  he 
engaged  to  instruct  and  to  comfort,  and  forgetful 
of  that  awful  Name  by  which  he  had  sworn,  abandoned 
his  charge,  leaving  them  to  whatever  casual  instruction 
they  could  gather  from  others,  to  pick  up  the  word 
by  the  wayside  ;  to  beg  even  for  Baptism  for  their 
children  from  some  charitable  hand,  often  from 
ministers  of  another  faith,  while  he,  standing  on  the 
mere  privilege  of  an  accommodating  conscience,  set 
every  other  consideration  at  defiance." 

He  returned  to  this  subject  again  ^shortly  after  his 


132          HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

appointment  to  Meath.  Writing  to  Lord  Castlereagh, 
on  the  23rd  of  July,  1800,  he  says,  '  The  radical  evil 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  what  has  ever  since  the 
Reformation  opposed  its  extension,  is  that  the 
parochial  clergy  are  generally  non-resident ;  nor  can 
the  government  ever  advance  the  salutary  purpose 
for  which  a  parochial  clergy  is  appointed  so  effectually, 
as  by  enabling  the  bishops  to  remove  this  great  abuse." 

His  efforts  at  enforcing  residence  met  with  con- 
siderable opposition  from  the  parties  interested,  and 
his  success  at  first  was  small,  on  account  of  the  im- 
perfection of  the  law  ;  the  higher  courts  in  several 
cases  having  reversed  the  decisions  by  which  he  had 
enforced  this  duty.  In  1807  he  presented  a  report  to  the 
government,  and  in  it  we  find  that  out  of  the  ninety- 
two  benefices  in  Meath  at  that  time,  only  forty-five 
had  resident  incumbents,  while  forty-seven — that  is, 
more  than  half — were  non-resident.  He  adds  the 
note  :  '  There  are  at  present  instances  in  this  diocese 
of  great  encouragement  to  refractoriness  in  this 
essential  point  of  discipline,  taken  from  some  late 
decisions  of  the  Court  of  Delegates,  to  which  there  lies 
an  appeal  from  the  sentence  of  the  Consist orial  Court."  l 

The  difficulties  which  were  thus  presented  did  not 
deter  the  bishop  from  pursuing  his  purpose.  As 
the  law  was  shown  to  be  ineffectual,  he  strenuously 
urged  the  necessity  for  new  legislation,  and  with  some 
success,  for  shortly  after  this  an  Act  was  passed  by 
Parliament  for  enforcing  residence,  which  to  some 
extent  remedied  the  evil.  By  the  year  1820  the  number 
of  non-resident  incumbents  in  Meath  was  reduced  to 
twenty-two,  some  of  whom  held  sinecure  parishes. 
At  the  same  time  the  residents  had  increased  to  seventy- 
nine,  the  number  of  benefices  having  increased  in  the 

1  Papers  relating  to  the  Established  Church  in  Ireland,  1807  (Blue  Book). 


MEATH    IN    1799  133 

meantime  to  one  hundred  and  one.  The  bishop, 
however,  was  not  satisfied  with  the  way  in  which  the 
reform  had  been  carried  out.  He  would  have  preferred 
a  more  ecclesiastical  method  of  enforcing  discipline, 
and  was  in  this  respect  a  precursor  of  those  who  in  the 
present  day  resent  the  interference  of  the  Privy  Council 
in  Church  matters.  "  The  powers  vested  by  the  canon 
law,"  he  says,  "  and  the  primitive  discipline  of  the 
Church,  in  the  archbishops  and  bishops,  to  enforce 
residence,  when  duly  exercised,  and  no  longer  checked 
by  appeals  to  a  Court  of  Delegates,  constituted  as 
of  late  years  it  has  been  in  Ireland,  would  have  been 
amply  sufficient  to  remedy  the  abuses  arising  from 
non-residence  ;  and  that  the  several  archbishops 
and  bishops  would  have  duly  availed  themselves  of 
these  powers,  and  faithfully  exercised  them  whenever 
the  circumstances  of  the  several  parishes  in  their 
dioceses  would  admit,  must  appear  evident  from 
the  zeal  and  assiduity  with  which  they  have  exercised 
the  new  powers  vested  in  them  by  the  Act  passed  in 
the  48th  of  the  King,  for  enforcing  residence  of 
spiritual  persons  on  their  benefices  in  Ireland.  In 
carrying  the  provisions  of  this  Act  into  practice,  it 
has  been  seen  how  ineffectual  all  substitutions  for  the 
operation  and  influence  of  the  primitive  discipline 
of  the  Church  must  prove,  and  that  when,  in  the  place 
of  the  obligations  to  canonical  obedience  and  a 
professional  feeling,  a  clergy  are  required  to  look  for 
the  great  rule  of  their  conduct  in  the  discharge  of  their 
spiritual  duties  to  the  enactments  of  Parliamentary 
statutes  and  the  mere  letter  of  the  law,  there  can  be 
but  little  hope  of  forming  an  exemplary  and  useful 
parochial  ministry.  There  is  no  way  of  evading  the 
regulations  of  such  statutes,  and  of  the  temporal 
penalties  that  they  provide,  of  which  they  will  not 


134  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

avail  themselves.  In  this  act,  the  time  between  serving 
the  first  monition  to  reside  and  the  order  for  sequestering 
the  profits  of  the  benefice  in  case  of  non-compliance 
with  the  monition,  leaves  so  many  chances  of  defeating 
the  wishes  of  the  bishop,  that  neither  that  nor  the 
immediate  monitions  produce  any  effect ;  and  when, 
to  avoid  the  consequences  of  the  order  of  sequestration, 
the  person  returns  himself  resident,  there  are  instances 
in  which,  to  evade  the  penalties  of  the  third  section, 
he  contents  himself  with  appearing  in  his  benefice 
one  day  in  every  week.  But  the  period  of  three  years 
that  must  intervene  before  he  can  be  deprived  of  his 
benefice  affords  a  still  greater  encouragement  to  him 
to  disregard  all  proceedings  against  him,  when  he 
has  other  sources  to  depend  on  besides  the  profit  of 
his  benefice.  To  have  any  prospect  of  rendering  the 
Act  effectual,  the  order  of  sequestration  should  issue 
in  one  month  after  serving  the  monition  in  case  of 
non-compliance,  and  deprivation  should  follow  a  non- 
compliance  of  twelve  months."  2 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  extracts  that  the  bishop 
had  no  easy  task  before  him  when  he  undertook  the 
reorganization  of  the  See  of  Meath.  In  the  replies 
to  his  questions,  several  of  the  clergy  try  to  excuse 
their  non-residence.  Some  throw  the  blame  on  the 
late  rebellion.  The  Vicar  of  Athboy,  for  example, 
says  :  "  It  is  not  quite  two  years  since  I  got  this  parish. 
As  soon  as  I  could  hire  a  house  I  came  to  reside.  This 
was  at  the  eve  of  the  rebellion.  Upon  the  breaking 
out  of  the  rebellion  most  of  the  Protestant  families  fled. 
I  did  so  too.  The  illness  and  death  of  a  near  relative 
obliged  me  to  be  absent  for  a  considerable  time  this 
summer,  but  I  purpose  carrying  your  lordship's 
intentions  into  execution,  and  discharging  my  own 

*  Papers  relating  to  the  State  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  1820  (Blue  Book). 


MEATH   IN    1799  135 

duty."  He  does  not  explain,  however,  how  he  is  going 
to  do  this,  and  at  the  same  time  fulfil  his  duty  as  vicar 
choral  of  Saint  Patrick's  Cathedral  in  Dublin,  which 
office  he  held  at  the  same  time. 

The  incumbent  of  Rathmolyon  gives  his  excuses 
very  concisely.  "  Incumbent  does  not  reside  at 
present.  Reasons  are  :  advanced  age,  very  infirm 
health,  perturbate  be  times,  lonely  situation  of  the 
glebe-house,  unspeakable  terrors  of  the  female  part 
of  incumbent's  family."  The  parson  of  Agher  is  more 
diffuse.  He  says,  "  I  have  served  my  cure  in  person 
previous  to  the  rebellion,  which  occasioned  me  to  keep 
a  curate,  whose  situation,  having  a  house  in  a  town, 
made  it  safer  for  him  than  me  to  attend,  whose  house 
being  remote  from  a  town  was  unsafe  to  inhabit  from 
the  two  attacks  made  on  it,  though  providentially 
repelled.  I  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  run  the  risque 
of  a  third,  and  therefore  followed  with  my  family  the 
Wicklow  regiment  through  their  several  routes.  I  am 
sorry  to  be  obliged  to  answer  another  question  of  the 
No.  ii  (as  to  residence),  which  necessarily  involves  me 
in  the  same  predicament  Saint  Paul  was  in,  namely, 
self-condemnation.  I  never  had  any  sick  and  dying 
poor  person  in  any  place  that  I  did  not  first  con- 
scientiously discharge  the  duties  of  my  function,  and 
next  enquired  into  their  several  necessities,  whether  of 
medicine,  wine,  bread,  or  meat,  which  I  immediately 
relieved  as  far  as  I  was  able,  and  often  raised  con- 
tributions that  effectually  relieved  the  parties  after." 

Excuses  like  these  were  not  always  accepted  by  the 
bishop.  The  following  is  the  account  of  himself  given 
by  the  Incumbent  of  Rathconrath  :  "I  have  two  very 
small  parishes,  one  of  the  Rectory  and  Vicarage  of 
Rathconrath,  which,  although  containing  above  4,000 
acres,  yet  the  country  has  ever  been  so  lawless,  scarce 


136  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

any  tithe  could  be  got  in  the  year  1775.  I  served 
the  cure  of  Almoritia  immediately  adjoining  Rath- 
conrath,  for  in  that  parish  there  is  no  church  nor 
Protestant  inhabitant,  viz.,  Rathconrath.  I  resided 
there  not  many  months  till  my  cattle  were  houghed, 
and  many  threatening  letters  sent  to  me,  and  billets 
stuck,  intimating  that  if  I  ever  attempted  claiming  any 
tithes  I  should  have  the  fate  of  my  cattle.  Whereupon 
I  fled  to  Dublin,  and  in  the  following  year,  with  the 
consent  of  their  Graces  the  Lord  Primate  and  the 
Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  their  Lordships  the  Bishops 
of  Meath  and  Kildare,  I  solicited  and  obtained  the 
chaplaincy  of  the  Lying-in  Hospital."  The  bishop  was 
quite  unmoved  by  this  sorrowful  tale,  and  administered 
a  sharp  rebuke.  His  note  is  :  "Mr.  Ould  to  be 
particularly  cited  to  account  for  his  abandoning  this 
parish  in  the  manner  he  has  done,  and  injuring  it 
as  well  in  its  spirituals  as  temporals." 

In  some  cases,  the  clergy  tried  to  hide  from  the 
bishop  the  fact  that  they  were  non-resident.  Of  the 
Rector  of  Rat  oath  he  writes  :  "  His  manner  of 
answering  my  query  respecting  his  terrier  deserves 
animadversion,  as  does  indeed  the  whole  style  of  his 
answers,  and  particularly  his  asserting  that  he  performs 
occasional  duty,  and  concealing  from  me  that  he  was 
residing  in  England."  And  concerning  Ballyboy,  he 
writes  :  "  What  does  Mr.  Kimmis  mean  by  saying 
that  he  generally  resides  in  his  glebe  house  ?  He  must 
have  a  resident  curate  for  each  church,  unless  he 
chooses  to  do  the  duty  of  one  of  them  constantly 
in  a  constant  residence,  and  not  occasionally,  as  he 
now  appears  to  do." 

These  are  just  a  few  typical  examples  of  the 
difficulties  with  which  the  bishop  had  to  deal  in  this 
matter  of  non-residence.  The  abuse  was  of  long 


MEATH   IN    1799  137 

standing,  and  required  a  strong  hand  to  deal  with  it. 
We  can  only  wonder  that  in  the  end  O'Beirne  was  so 
successful  in  bringing  about  a  better  order  of  things. 

In  most  cases  of  non-residence  a  curate  of  one  kind 
or  another  was  provided.  Several  of  them  appear  to 
have  been  not  very  efficient,  but  of  course  it  is  to  be 
remembered  that  in  an  account  like  this,  it  is  the 
less  efficient  ones  that  mostly  come  under  notice,  and 
that  the  great  majority  of  them  must  have  done  their 
duty  faithfully  and  well.  Their  lot  was  not  very 
happy,  and  they  were  looked  down  upon  by  their 
rectors  in  a  way  that  would  not  be  tolerated  for  a 
moment  in  these  days.  The  following  extracts  will 
show  the  somewhat  contemptuous  way  in  which  they 
were  regarded  by  the  beneficed  clergy,  and  may  perhaps 
give  some  idea  of  the  unpleasant  position  in  which  they 
were  placed. 

The  Vicar  of  Galtrim  writes  : — "  The  vicar  serves 
his  cure  in  person.  He  found  a  licensed  curate,  and 
keeps  him,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  parishioners, 
the  curacy  being  to  him,  poor  man,  a  great  object." 
In  much  the  same  strain  the  Incumbent  of  Clongill 
tells  the  bishop  :  "I  do  attend  myself,  and  also  have 
a  curate,  who  is  not  licensed.  My  reason  for  keeping 
him,  is  that  the  late  Bishop  of  Meath  desired  I  should 
do  so  till  he  could  procure  some  other  situation  for  him 
as  he  (Mr.  Garnett)  was  a  worthy  attentive  man,  and 
had  been  at  much  expenes  in  settling  himself  as 
conveniently  as  possible  to  the  parish." 

The  tragic  story  of  the  Curate  of  Tara  is  told  in 
few  words  by  the  incumbent.  He  says  :  "  My  health 
does  not  permit  me  to  serve  the  cure  in  person,  but 
the  duty  was  faithfully  and  conscientiously  discharged, 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  parishioners,  by  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Nelson,  who  was  murdered  in  his  own 


138  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

house  last  summer  at  noon  day  by  the  rebels.  Since 
his  death  the  duty  is  performed  by  Mr.  Ingham,  who 
lives  within  a  short  distance  of  the  church,  till  your 
Lordship  shall  be  pleased  to  grant  a  licence  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Woods,  who  has  my  nominations."  The  vicar 
seems  quite  satisfied  with  himself  and  with  the  way 
in  which  the  duty  of  the  parish  was  performed.  The 
bishop,  however,  took  quite  another  view,  and  cited 
him  to  the  adjourned  visitation,  admonishing  him  to 
provide  immediately  resident  curates  for  both  his 
churches.  In  this  case  the  vicar  proved  refractory,  and 
eventually  the  bishop  had  to  take  measures  for  his 
deprivation. 

The  Incumbent  of  Wherry  has  a  complaint  against 
one  of  his  curates.  He  says  :  "My  curate,  Mr.  Maxwell, 
discharges  his  duty  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  his 
parishioners  and  most  unwearied  diligence.  My  other 
curate,  Mr.  Hamilton,  is  quite  of  a  different  character, 
not  liked  by  the  parish,  and  does  not  pay  such  attention. 
He  is  licensed,  so  I  can't  dismiss  him.  I  take  care  to 
have  the  duty  well  attended,  and  I  hope  at  your 
Lordship's  visitation  to  get  you  to  remove  Mr. 
Hamilton."  He  did  not  find  the  bishop  as  ready  to 
fall  in  with  his  ideas  as  he  expected.  The  incumbent 
held  also  the  parish  of  Belturbet  in  the  Diocese  of 
Kilmore,  where  he  sometimes  resided,  but  he  spent 
most  of  his  time  in  England.  This  method  of  ful- 
filling his  duty  did  not  commend  itself  to  the  diocesan 
and  accordingly,  he  makes  the  note  :  "To  take  any 
legal  steps  to  deprive  Doctor  Maxwell  (the  incumbent), 
unless  he  comes  from  England  to  reside."  He  takes 
no  notice  of  the  complaint  against  the  curate. 

In  other  cases,  the  incumbent  seems  to  have  known 
little,  and  probably  cared  less,  about  the  character  of 
the  curate  who  performed  for  him  the  duties  of  his 


MEATH    IN    1799  139 

office.  The  Vicar  of  Trivett  reports  :  "I  have  a 
licenced  curate.  He  informs  me  that  till  the  late 
rebellion  he  lived  in  Mr.  Gorges'  house.  I  never 
received  any  complaints  from  the  parishioners  of  his 
neglecting  his  duty."  The  bishop's  note  is  :  "  He  only 
concludes  that  the  curate  did  his  duty  because  the 
parishioners  made  no  complaints,  and  because  the 
curate  tells  him  so/'  and  he  directs  that  the  incumbent 
be  specially  cited  to  appear  at  the  adjourned  visitation. 
In  the  case  of  the  parish  of  Moyglare,  too,  the  bishop 
says  :  "  What  cause  had  he  to  call  on  his  parishioners 
for  the  character  of  his  curate  ?  This  curate  has  pre- 
ferred a  complaint  against  him.  A  suit  must  be 
enquired  into." 

It  was  new  to  the  Diocese  of  Meath  to  have  at 
its  head  such  a  vigorous  ruler.  The  extracts  given 
above  will  give  some  idea  of  the  difficulty  of  the  work 
that  lay  before  him,  and  of  the  determination  with 
which  he  took  up  the  arduous  task.  He  was  met  in 
many  cases  with  passive  resistance.  Some  of  the  clergy 
did  not  answer  his  queries  ;  others  absented  themselves 
from  the  visitation.  These  were  soon  made  to  feel 
that  the  new  bishop  was  a  man  with  whom  they  could 
not  trifle.  An  adjourned  visitation  was  held,  to  which 
they  were  cited,  and  if  they  still  proved  contumacious, 
proceedings  were  at  once  taken  against  them.  The  imme- 
diate effect  was  salutary  in  every  way,  although  it  was 
only  after  some  years  of  unyielding  perseverance  that 
the  full  effect  of  the  bishop's  reforms  was  made  manifest. 
We  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  the  church  fabrics 
reflected  in  their  dilapidation  and  decay  the  unsound- 
ness  of  the  whole  body.  There  was  scarcely  a  church 
in  the  whole  diocese  that  did  not  require  rebuilding 
or  renovation.  O'Beirne  took  this  matter  also  in  hand, 
and  we  will  see  later  on  that  never,  in  the  whole  history 


140  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

of  the  diocese,  was  there  such  an  era  of  church  building 
as  during  his  episcopate. 

No  less  than  eighty-three  parishes  were  without 
glebe-houses,  and  the  worst  of  this  was  that  the  want 
of  them  was  not  felt,  for  why  should  a  glebe-house 
be  built  when  there  was  no  resident  clergyman  to 
inhabit  it  ?  In  some  cases  the  house  which  did  exist 
was  quite  unsuitable.  The  following  is  the  account 
given  by  the  Incumbent  of  Dunboyne  :  "I  have  an 
acre  of  glebe  joining  the  churchyard,  on  which  is 
built  an  old  cabin,  built  by  subscription  for  a  school- 
house,  which  was  inhabited  by  my  former  clerk,  until 
I  came  to  reside  in  my  parish  ;  in  which  house  I  have 
continued  ever  since,  and  is  now  in  the  most  ruinous 
condition,  occasioned  by  the  vengeance  of  the  late 
rebels  exercised  on  it.  I  built  a  good  stable  and  cow 
house,  with  other  offices,  all  of  which  were  destroyed 
but  the  stable,  and  I  am  sure  no  other  clergyman 
will  ever  reside  in  so  poor  a  cabin.  I  have  planted  an 
orchard  and  made  a  very  good  garden,  which  is  all 
that  is  valuable  in  my  possession."  The  bishop  was 
unmoved  by  this  tale  of  woe,  cited  the  incumbent 
to  his  adjourned  visitation,  and  there  censured  him 
"  for  contempt,  and  for  a  total  neglect  of  his  parish." 

The  account  of  the  house  and  land  at  Loughcrew 
is  worth  quoting.  The  incumbent  was  Mr.  Moor 
Smith,  who  held  at  the  same  time  a  benefice  in  the 
Diocese  of  Armagh.  He  says  :  "  There  was  a  glebe 
formerly  belonging  to  the  parish  of  Loughcrew  of  four 
acres,  adjoining  the  churchyard,  in  Mr.  Button's 
avenue,  which  was  exchanged,  as  I  am  informed, 
many  years  ago,  for  twenty  acres  of  land  in  the  same 
estate,  lying  together  about  half  a  mile  from  the  church, 
subject  to  a  yearly  rent  of  £8.  The  deed  of  exchange 
was  never  perfected,  but  the  incumbents  have  enjoyed 


MEATH   IN    1799  141 

it  undisturbed  from  the  beginning.  There  is  no  house 
on  the  present  glebe,  except  a  very  wretched  thatched 
cabin,  unfit  and  incapable  of  being  made  fit  for  the 
residence  of  a  family.  I  am  informed  it  had  been 
inhabited  by  the  incumbent  formerly.  I  do  not  reside 
in  that  cabin,  nor  have  I  been  able  to  procure  any 
residence  in  that  union  since  I  became  possessed  of  it, 
which  is  little  more  than  a  year,  though  I  have  used 
my  best  endeavours  for  that  purpose." 

The  glebe-house  of  Killucan  was  transformed  into 
a  barrack,  and  a  Hessian  regiment  was  quartered 
there.  The  rector  resided  in  Tuam,  in  a  parish  which 
he  had  in  that  diocese.  He  kept  as  curate  a  Mr. 
O'Burne,  who  lived  in  Kinnegad,  "  availing  myself 
of  the  protection  of  the  military  quartered  there." 
The  literary  attainments  of  this  clergyman  must  have 
been  very  small,  for  the  bishop's  note  book  has  the 
reminder  :  "To  speak  to  him  privately  about  the 
ortography  of  his  answers."  It  will  be-  noted  that 
the  bishop  himself  spells  the  word  "  ortography " 
in  a  way  which,  though  at  one  time  counted  correct, 
was  already  obsolete  in  his  days. 

Where  the  income  was  derived  from  tithes,  and  this 
was  the  case  in  most  parishes,  it  was  gathered  from 
an  unwilling  people,  and  was  sometimes  farmed  out  to 
Roman  Catholic  collectors,  who  agreed  to  pay  the  in- 
cumbent a  fixed  sum,  making  whatever  profit  they 
could  for  themselves.  A  more  objectionable  method 
could  scarcely  have  been  devised,  and  it  proved  a  cause 
of  frequent  disturbance,  sometimes  ending  in  bloodshed. 
This  was  specially  the  case  in  Westmeath. 

The  church  services  were  reduced  to  the  fewest 
possible.  The  Holy  Communion  was  administered 
mostly  once  in  three  months — in  some  places  not  so 
often.  In  the  larger  churches  however,  there  was  a 


142  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

monthly  communion.  Few  of  the  church  festivals 
were  observed,  except  Christmas  Day  and  Good  Friday. 
In  two  or  three  churches  they  had  service  on  New  Year's 
Day  and  on  Ash  Wednesday,  but  no  incumbent  mentions 
service  on  Ascension  Day,  nor  does  Whitsunday  seem 
to  have  been  observed  as  a  time  for  the  celebration 
of  Holy  Communion.  In  all  these  points  Bishop 
O'Beirne  set  about  effecting  whatever  improvements 
were  possible.  He  ordered  services  to  be  held  in  the 
principal  parishes  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays.  He 
notes  how  in  Athlone  they  used  at  one  time  to  have 
daily  service,  and  enquires  why  this  has  been  dis- 
continued. He  calls  attention  in  several  places  to  the 
disproportion  between  the  church  population  and  the 
number  of  communicants.  In  Enniskeen  he  found  the 
curious  arrangement  of  the  bishop  allowing  a  yearly 
payment  to  the  dissenting  minister  for  looking  after 
the  people.  He  simply  states  the  fact  without  any 
comment.  Altogether  it  must  have  been  a  new 
experience  for  the  clergy  of  Meath  to  have  a  bishop 
who  thus  interested  himself  in  every  department  of  the 
work,  and  who  was  a  true  overseer  of  the  work  of 
God. 

In  the  matter  of  education  he  was  equally  alert. 
The  Diocesan  School  was  at  that  time  conducted  at 
Trim.  The  bishop  puts  down  as  subjects  to  be  enquired 
into  :  "  Diocesan  Schoolmaster — What  the  amount  of 
his  appointment  ?  In  what  state  the  diocesan  school 
house  is,  and  if  he  inhabits  it  ?  What  number  of 
scholars  he  keeps,  and  how  many  are  educated  ac- 
cording to  the  institution  ?  "  At  the  diocesan  visitation 
the  following  note  is  made  : — "  Rev.  Mark  Wainwright 
admonished  to  have  the  objects  of  the  school  carried 
fully  and  bona  fide  into  effect.  That  for  that  purpose 
he  give  immediate  notice  that  the  school  is  open  for 


MEATH    IN    1799  143 

day  boys,  and  that  he  make  immediate  preparation 
for  the  reception  of  boarders." 

It  was  reported  of  Navan  School  that  "  Rev. 
Mr.  Preston,  master  of  the  school,  does  not  keep  school 
himself,  but  employs  Rev.  Mr.  Toomey."  Thereupon 
the  bishop  makes  the  note  :  "To  enquire  of  Dr. 
Duigenan  as  to  the  legality  of  giving  the  endowed  school 
to  a  person  who  neither  keeps  a  school  nor  lives  in  the 
house,  but  employs  a  deputy.  If  an  abuse,  what  steps 
must  be  taken  to  remedy  it  ?  To  enquire  who  are 
the  trustees,  and  who  are  the  visitors  ?  If  he  has 
taken  out  a  licence  from  my  court,  or  holds  in  any 
manner  under  me  ?  "  It  does  not  appear  what  was 
the  result  of  all  these  enquiries,  but  if  he  effected  any 
reformation,  it  must  have  been  short-lived,  for  fifty 
years  later  the  Royal  Commissioners  reported  that 
11  this  endowment  presented  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
instances  of  an  abused  trust." 

With  regard  to  the  ordinary  parish  schools,  O'Beirne 
endeavoured  to  insist  that  every  clergyman  should 
establish  a  school  in  his  parish.  At  the  visitation  he 
admonished  the  various  rectors  and  vicars  that  they 
must  each  have  a  parish  schoolmaster.  To  urge  that 
there  were  no  Protestant  children  in  the  parish  was  not 
accepted  as  a  sufficient  excuse.  The  Incumbent  of 
Moymet,  for  instance,  gave  this  as  his  reason  for  not 
having  a  parochial  school.  His  parish  was  a  sinecure, 
for  he  had  no  church,  and  not  a  solitary  Protestant 
parishioner.  The  bishop,  however,  insisted  that  he 
should  fulfil  his  duty  in  this  way  all  the  same.  "  If 
a  Protestant  schoolmaster  cannot  be  got  for  forty 
shillings,  he  must  give  more,  or  teach  school  himself. 
He  is  sworn  to  get  a  master,  or  to  teach  himself." 
One  cannot  help  asking,  what  kind  of  teacher  did  the 
incumbent  expect  to  get  for  two  pounds  a  year  ? 


144  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Some  of  the  replies  throw  a  curious  light  on  the 
qualifications   expected   in   a  schoolmaster,   and   the 
emolument  which  was  considered  to  be  a  sufficient 
remuneration  for   his  services.       The   Incumbent  of 
Balroddan  writes  that  he  would   like  to  get  "  a  man 
of  good  parts  and  moral  character,  and  fully  capable  to 
perform  the  duties  of  his  station."     He  offers  the  noble 
salary  of  twenty  pounds  a  year,  on  condition  that  the 
schoolmaster  fulfils  also  the  duties  of  parish  clerk,  and 
seems  to  be  surprised  that  after  all  this  generosity  he 
was  unable  to  find    anyone  to  come  up  to  his  high 
standard.      His  neighbour  of  Moyglare,  however,  goes 
one  better  than  this.        He  says,  "  I    have    not    a 
Protestant    schoolmaster,  nor    could  I    procure  one, 
though  I  offered  seven  pounds  a  year,  a  sum  I  pay  to  a 
master  of  the  school  in  my  own  parish  in  the  Diocese 
of  Tuam,  where  I  have  established  a  Sunday  school. 
I  mention  these  circumstances  as  presumptions  of  my 
having    the     same     good     disposition     towards     the 
parishioners  of  Moyglare,    which  I  carried  into  effect 
for  some  time  by  paying  the  Protestant  schoolmaster. 
I  had  then,  besides  the  usual  forty  shillings  a  year,  a 
penny  a  head  for  every  child  of  the  parish  without 
distinction  he  taught  on    Sunday  mornings,  and  the 
number  who  attended  him  was  about  twenty ;  but 
this  continued  only  a  few  months,  for  he  died  about 
six  years  since,  and  I  found  the  same  impracticable 
ever  since.     For  a  time  I  paid  a  Roman  Catholic  master 
for   teaching   the   Church   of     his    persuasion     those 
fundamental  principles  of  religion  in  which  Christians 
of  all  sects  are  agreed,  but  he  did  not  receive    the 
encouragement  he  expected  from  his  people,  and  there- 
fore left  them." 

Besides    the    instruction    given    in    the    parochial 
schools,  which  was  evidently  intended  for  all  classes — 


MEATH   IN    1799  145 

Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  alike — O'Beirne  in- 
sisted on  the  duty  of  each  clergyman  himself  giving 
religious  instruction  to  the  children  of  his  own  people. 
The  replies  given  under  this  head  are  some  of  them 
curious  and  interesting.  The  Vicar  of  Oldcastle  says, 
"  I  have  a  schoolmaster  and  pay  him  a  salary.  He 
teaches  the  children  to  say  the  Church  Catechism,  and 
brings  them  to  the  church,  and  leaves  to  the  clergyman 
to  explain  it.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to  get  these  sort 
properly  qualified."  The  rector  of  Newtown 
Fertullagh  goes  more  into  detail.  He  says,  "  With 
respect  to  the  public  religious  instruction  of  the  children 
of  the  parish,  I  am  obliged  to  acknowledge  some 
neglect.  I  have  certainly  too  remissly  insisted,  and 
their  parents  perhaps  have  been  too  backward  in 
sending  them  to  church  for  that  purpose.  During  one 
summer  only  out  of  three  did  I  regularly  succeed  in 
bringing  a  few  of  them  together  on  Sundays,  after  the 
celebration  of  Divine  service,  when  my  examination 
was  such  as  appeared  to  myself  best  calculated  to 
discover  what  they  knew,  and  to  suggest  to  them  what 
they  knew  not.  I  have  since  thought  that  the  printed 
explanation  by  Stopford  would  prove  an  important 
help  to  them,  and  have  procured  a  sufficient  number 
of  them,  of  which  I  have  not  yet  made  use.  I  must, 
however,  in  extenuation,  observe  that  the  children  who 
attend  me  were  not  neglected  by  their  parents,  but 
had  been  properly  instructed  in  the  Church  Catechism  ; 
that  the  number  of  those  in  the  parish  who  are  of  age 
to  profit  or  to  need  this  mode  of  instruction  is  extremely 
small ;  and  that  the  church  of  an  adjacent  parish,  from 
its  proximity  to  the  most  populous  part  of  mine,  is 
habitually  resorted  to  by  many  of  my  parishioners." 
The  neighbouring  parish  here  referred  to  is  doubtless 
Clonfadforan.  The  rector  there  says  ;  "  The  children 

VOL.    II.  L 


146  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

in  my  parish  are  instructed  in  the  principles  of  their 
religion  by  their  parents,  being  chiefly  Methodists.  I 
have  lately  examined  them  in  the  Church  Catechism, 
and  found  them  instructed." 

The  only  other  officer  about  whom  information  was 
asked  was  the  parish  clerk,  and  under  this  head  some 
of  the  replies  are  most  amusing.  In  Loughcrew, 
his  qualifications  are  said  to  be  "  moderate  and  much 
on  a  level  with  the  generality  of  clerks  in  country 
churches."  In  Oldcastle,  he  was  "  very  well  qualified, 
but  in  a  bad  state  of  health,  and  not  well  able  to  sing 
the  psalms."  The  clerk  at  Rathcore,  we  are  told, 
"  reads  tolerably  well ;  he  does  not  attempt  to  sing." 
In  Trivett,  he  is  said  to  be  "  perfectly  superannuated." 
In  Moyglare,  the  vicar  writes,  "  The  parish  clerk  is  as 
sufficient  as  parish  clerks  in  general  are,  who,  to  do 
them  justice,  are  shamefully  deficient  in  one  part  of 
their  duty,  that  of  psalmody,  which,  from  the  manner 
they  perform  it,  instead  of  exciting  devotion,  has 
often  the  contrary  effect  on  light  minds."  The  parish 
clerk  of  Kingscourt  has  the  pre-eminence  among  them 
all :  "  He  is  a  well-conducted  man,  but  the  worst  clerk 
in  this  or  any  other  diocese." 

The  following  account  of  the  charities  of  Athboy 
is  worth  reproducing  : — "  I  know  of  no  charitable 
foundation  except  a  bequest  of  £10  per  annum  by  a 
Mr.  Cusack,  for  apprenticing  children,  viz.,  two  boys 
yearly.  This  money  is  regularly  paid  by  the  governors 
of  Stephen's  Hospital,  Dublin.  To  that  hospital  Mr. 
Cusack  left  a  handsome  estate  near  the  town  of  Athboy 
several  years  ago.  One  of  the  Bligh  family  bequeathed 
£1,500,  the  interest  of  which  was  to  be  distributed 
amongst  the  poor  of  the  parish.  The  poor  received 
this  interest  for  some  time,  but  as  the  money  was  not 
willed  to  trustees,  the  agent,  one  of  the  Tandys,  kept 


MEATH   IN    1799  147 

the  principal,  and  refused  to  pay  the  interest  any 
longer.  Some  time  after  this,  another  of  the  Tandys, 
thinking  his  relation's  conduct  disgraceful  to  the  family 
name,  left  £1,500  to  replace  this  money,  but  he  com- 
mitted the  same  error  in  not  naming  trustees,  of  which 
advantage  was  taken  by  Tandy  of  Johnsbrook,  in  my 
parish,  who  refused  to  pay  principal  or  interest.  Such 
are  the  accounts  I  have  received  of  these  transactions. 
Within  these  two  years  there  have  been  some  houses 
called  alms  houses,  erected  in  this  town  by  Lord 
Darnley.  They  are  wretchedly  built,  and  have  been 
in  an  unfinished  state  for  some  time.  They  are,  how- 
ever inhabited,  and  there  is  a  grocer's  shop  kept  in  one 
of  them,  with  a  licence  board  over  the  door,  though 
they  are  called  alms  houses  !  !  ! " 

Putting  all  these  extracts  together,  we  can  form  a 
fairly  accurate  picture  of  church  life  in  Meath  at  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  evident 
that  things  were  at  the  lowest  possible  ebb.  The 
beneficed  clergy  non-resident,  and  the  duty  performed 
by  curates  whose  emoluments  were  altogether  in- 
sufficient for  the  position  in  which  they  were  placed. 
The  churches  dilapidated  and  unsightly.  The  services 
few  and  slovenly.  The  psalmody  left  to  the  efforts 
of  incompetent  parish  clerks.  One  cannot  help 
wondering  how  the  Church  ever  survived.  We  have 
already  seen  how,  more  than  once,  she  was  brought 
low  by  attacks  from  without.  We  see  at  this  time 
how  she  was  abased  by  those  of  her  own  house.  Twenty 
years  later,  when  Bishop  O'Beirne  was  near  his  end, 
all  this  was  altered.  Thanks  to  his  energy  and 
enthusiasm,  the  old  abuses  were  to  a  great  extent 
swept  away,  and  in  the  Providence  of  God  he 
was  spared  long  enough  to  see  with  his  own  eyes  the 
reward  of  his  labours. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  PROGRESS. 

THE  story  of  Bishop  O'Beirne's  episcopate,  extending 
over  a  period  of  about  twenty-five  years,  is  the  story 
of  continuous  improvement  and  reform.  At  the  outset 
he  announced  what  his  course  of  action  was  to  be, 
and  to  the  end  he  never  for  a  moment  faltered  or 
flinched.  How  much  need  there  was  for  improvement 
we  have  already  seen  in  the  last  chapter.  The  evils 
that  were  then  complained  of  were  not  new.  Non- 
residence,  pluralities,  ruinous  churches,  want  of  glebe- 
houses — the  Irish  Church  had  suffered  from  all  these 
things  from  the  first  day  that  Englishmen  had  mixed 
themselves  up  in  her  affairs.  One  could  scarcely  hope 
then  that  abuses  of  such  long  standing  would  disappear 
all  in  a  moment.  But  O'Beirne  was  a  man  of  great 
strength  of  will  and  earnestness  of  purpose,  and  he  set 
himself  resolutely  to  the  task  that  lay  before  him.  He 
had  intense  love  for  the  Church,  and  it  grieved  him 
to  see  the  desolation  that  had  been  brought  about  by 
the  neglect  of  many  generations.  The  result  of  his 
labour  was  that  at  the  end  of  his  episcopate  he  could 
point  triumphantly  to  changed  conditions  all  round. 

He  first  attacked  the  non-residents,  with  a  success 
which  we  have  already  noted.  We  need  not  be  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  he  encountered  considerable 
opposition.  Cumbrous  and  tedious  law  proceedings 
were  often  necessary  when  clergymen  proved  con- 
tumacious, and  there  were  cases  in  which  these 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF  PROGRESS  149 

impediments  were  used  to  the  utmost.  In  this 
connection,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  bishop,  in 
one  case  at  least,  contemplated  the  use  of  the  ecclesias- 
tical punishment  of  excommunication  to  be  inflicted  on 
those  who  refused  to  submit  to  his  authority.  We  have 
no  means  of  finding  out  whether  he  actually  put  the 
excommunication  into  force,  but  that  he  was  minded 
to  do  so  is  shown  by  the  following  letter  from  his 
chancellor,  Doctor  Duigenan  : 

MY  LORD, 

There  is  no  doubt  that  you  have  full  "authority  to  excom- 
municate Mr.  Clewloe  for  his  contumacy  in  not  appearing, 
but  he  must  be  suspended  prior  to  his  excommunication. 
(See  71  canon).  I  think  your  Lordship  should  proceed  against 
him  according  to  the  Non-residence  Act  of  last  session,  but, 
perhaps  this  may  become  unnecessary  by  the  proceedings 
already  in  progress  against  him. 

I  beg  that  your  Lordship  will  present  my  most  humble 
respects  to  Mrs.  O'Beirne  and  the  young  ladies. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

My  Lord, 

Your  most  faithful  and  obedient  Servant, 

PATK.  DUIGENAN. 

Henrietta  Street,  Dublin, 
December  30th,  1808. x 

Mr.  Clewloe  was  Incumbent  of  Vastina,  and  it 
would  appear  that  the  bishop  acted  on  his  chancellor's 
advice  and  deprived  him,  for  we  find  that  six  months 
later  than  the  date  of  this  letter  a  new  clergyman 
was  appointed  to  the  parish. 

Connected  with  the  subject  of  non-residence  was 
that  of  the  want  of  glebes  and  glebe-houses.  At  the 
very  first  visitation  therefore  a  large  number  of  the 
clergy  were  admonished  to  build.  As  time  went  on,  the 

Record  Office,  Dublin. 


I5O  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

bishop  kept  urging  the  necessity  of  having  a  proper  resi- 
dence for  the  clergyman  in  every  parish,  until  at  length 
he  had  procured  the  erection  of  no  less  than  seventy-two 
new  houses  in  the  diocese.  When  a  house  had  been 
built  in  a  parish,  it  became  possible  for  the  bishop  to 
insist  that  the  clergyman  should  occupy  it.  As  long  as 
the  parishes  were  without  glebe-houses,  the  constant 
excuse  of  the  non-resident  was  that  he  could  get  no 
house  in  his  parish  in  which  it  was  possible  for  him  to 
dwell. 

He  was  equally  successful  in  the  matter  of  churches. 
The  large  number  of  fifty-seven — that  is,  considerably 
more  than  one-half  of  the  total  number  of  churches — 
were  erected  during  his  episcopate.  The  architectural 
designs  of  these  buildings  left  much  to  be  desired. 
They  are,  indeed,  it  must  be  confessed,  hopelessly 
uninteresting  and  featureless.  We  cannot  help 
regretting  that  in  some  cases  the  old  churches  were  not 
preserved.  But  while  we  may  thus  have  misgivings 
from  the  aesthetic  point  of  view,  we  cannot  but  admit 
that  practically  it  was  a  great  boon  to  the  Church  to 
have  these  plain  and  barn-like,  but  sound  and 
serviceable,  buildings  for  the  celebration  of  public 
worship,  instead  of  the  ruinous  structures  with  which 
she  had  to  be  contented  for  so  long.  There  is  a  tablet 
in  Kilshine  Church,  which  commemorates  the  building 
of  that  edifice,  and  sets  forth  the  work  which  the 
bishop  accomplished  in  the  diocese.  It  is  as  follows  : — 

The  rebuilding  and  restoring  of  this  Parish  Church, 

After  it  had  laid  in  ruin  for  upwards  of  a  century, 

Were  the  effects  of  the  pious  exertions  of 

That  excellent  Prelate, 

The  Right  Honourable  and  Most  Reverend  Father  in  God, 
Doctor  Thomas  Lewis  O'Beirne, 

Lord  Bishop  of  Meath, 
Who  in  the  conscientious  discharge 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS 

Of  the  functions  of  his  high  and  important  office 
Not  only  caused  many  other  Churches  in  this  Diocese 

To  be  rebuilt  and  restored, 
But  procured  for  that  most  respectable  Body, 

The  Reverend  the  Parochial  Clergy, 
Residences  and  Glebes  within  their  respective  Livings, 
Suitable  as  far  as  it  was  possible  to  their  situations, 
Thereby  enabling  them  duly  to  discharge  the  duties  of 

Resident  Protestant  Clergymen, 

And  to  dispense  to  their  Parishioners  of  that  Persuasion 
The  invaluable  comforts  of 

Our  Blessed  Religion. 
Aided  by  a  pecuniary  grant  of  1600  from  the  Board  of  First 

Fruits 
Obtained  through  the  Intercession  of  His  Lordship  the  Bishop 

of  Meath, 

John  Pollock,  of  Mountainstown,  Esq., 
Accomplished  the  rebuilding  of  this  Church, 
£    Which  was  restored, 
Ann.  Dom.  1815. 

In  1807  there  was  a  return  made  to  the  government 
giving  the  state  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  A  similar 
return  was  furnished  in  1820.  The  phraseology  of 
the  summary  in  both  these  documents  is  identical, 
and  is  manifestly  copied  one  from  the  other,  but  the 
numbers  are  very  different,  and  comparing  them  one 
with  the  other,  we  see  what  wonderful  progress  had 
been  made  in  the  interval. 

In  the  report  of  1807,  we  read : 

The  Diocese  of  Meath  consists  of  92  benefices,  46  of  which 
are  unions.  On  these  benefices,  45  incumbents  actually  reside. 
Of  the  47  who  do  not  reside,  10  have  no  glebe-houses,  but 
live  sufficiently  near  to  their  respective  benefices  to  discharge 
their  duties  without  inconvenience.  19  have  other  livings  on 
which  they  reside,  and  hold  by  faculty.  13  are  absent  with 
permission  ;  2  without  permission  ;  2  benefices  are  vacant ; 
and  i  is  a  sinecure.  There  are  90  churches,  37  glebe-houses, 
75  glebes,  and  17  benefices  without  glebes.  There  are  12 
benefices  without  churches,  54  without  glebe-houses,  and  ,17 


152  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

without  glebes.  There  are  likewise  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 
13  benefices  of  different  denominations  without  churches, 
without  glebe-houses,  and  without  any  ecclesiastical  income 
whatever. 

With  this,  let  us  now  compare  the  Report  of  1820. 
The  word  "  dispensation  "  is  substituted  for  "  faculty  ;  " 
otherwise  the  paragraph  is  repeated  word  for  word  : — 

The  Diocese  of  Meath  consists  of  101  benefices,  42  of  which 
are  unions.  On  these  benefices  79  incumbents  actually  reside. 
Of  the  22  who  do  not  reside,  2  have  no  glebe-houses,  but  live 
sufficiently  near  to  their  respective  benefices  to  discharge 
their  duties  without  inconvenience.  10  have  other  livings, 
in  which  they  reside,  and  hold  by  dispensation,  6  are  absent 
with  permission  ;  2  without  permission,  i  benefice  is  vacant, 
and  i  is  a  sinecure.  There  are  94  churches,  83  glebe-houses 
95  glebes,  and  6  benefices  without  glebes.  There  are  II, 
benefices  without  churches,  18  without  glebe-houses,  and  6 
without  glebes.  There  are  likewise  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 
13  benefices  of  different  denominations  without  churches, 
without  glebe-houses,  and  without  any  ecclesiastical  income 
whatever. 

The  following  lists  are  given  in  Bishop  O'Beirne's 
own  handwriting  in  a  book  preserved  in  the  Record 
Office,  Dublin.  The  date  is  not  given,  but  the 
account  must  have  been  drawn  up  sometime  towards 
the  close  of  his  episcopate. 


IMPROVEMENTS  IN  THE  STATE  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF 
MEATH  SINCE  THE  YEAR  1799. 


GLEBES  PROCURED  FOR  PARISHES  THAT  NEVER  HAD 
ANY,  OR  NOT  SUFFICIENT  FOR  BUILDING. 

Donagh  Patrick.  Newtown  Fertullagh. 

Painestown.  Tullamore. 

Ballymaglasson.  Vastina. 

Dunboyne.  Kilkenny  West. 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS 


153 


Moymet.  *Drumraney  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Killohanagan  Perpetual  Curacy.  Wherry  Perpetual  Curacy. 


*Mayne  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Killiagh  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Rathwire. 

Saint  Mary's  Drogheda. 

Colpe. 

*Stonehall  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Moyliscar. 

Castlelost. 

*Clara  Perpetual  Curacy. 


Kilbixy  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Kilbeggan. 

Leney. 

Kilbrew. 

Rahan  Perpetual  Curacy. 

Moat,  a    House,  Offices,    and 

Garden  in  the  town. 
Ardagh  Perpetual  Curacy. 
Kilbride  Pilate. 


Durrow  Perpetual  Curacy. 

[NOTE. — The    four    perpetual    curacies    marked   with    an 
asterisk  are  erased  in  the  original  document.] 


NEW  GLEBE-HOUSES  BUILT  OR  PURCHASED   SINCE 


Donagh  Patrick. 

Newtown. 

Kilshiney. 

Stackallen. 

Julianstown. 

Slane. 

Painstown. 

Kentstown. 

Taghmon. 

Stonehall. 

Almoritia. 

Castletown  Delvin. 

Moyliscar. 

Castlelost. 

Clonfadforan. 

Mayne. 

Oldcastle. 

Killallon. 

Killiagh. 

Rathwire. 

Mullingar. 


1799. 

Skryne. 

Tara. 

Knockmark.2 

Galtrim. 

Kilmore. 

Moyglare. 

Agher. 

Ratoath. 

Rathconnell. 

Ardnurcher. 

Clara. 

Killoughey. 


Kilbrew. 
Rathbeggan. 
Ballymaglasson. 
Dunboyne. 
Moymet. 
Laracor. 
Athboy. 
Rathmolyon. 
Ballyloughloe. 
Drumraney.2 
Athlone. 
Tessauran. 
Wherry. 
Saint  Mary's, 
Drogheda. 


Durrow. 

Tullamore  Kilbride 

Kilbeggan. 

Newtown  Fertullagh  Colpe. 

Vastina.  Kilbixey. 

Ballymore. 

Kilkenny  West. 

Rathcondra. 

Drumraney.  2 


Leney. 
Knockmark.  2 

Kilcleagh.      }    Money 

Ardagh.  «~^ 

KillohanganJ  building. 

2  It  will  be  noted  that  the  Parishes  of  Knockmark  and  Drumraney  occur 
twice  in  this  list,  evidently  a  mistake: 


154  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCBSB   OF   MEATH 


NEW  CHURCHES  BUILT  SINCE  1799. 

Donogh  Patrick.  Killiagh.  Tissauran. 

Kilmainham  Wood.  Tullamore  Kilbride.  Gallen. 

Kilshiney.  Colpe.  Killoughey. 

Ardagh.  Kilbrady.  Vastina. 

Skryne.  Stonehall.  Knockmark. 

Rathbeggan.  Castlelost,  Beggar's  Rathcondra. 

Ballymaglasson.  Bridge.  Bunowen. 

Mayne.  Churchtown.  Kilbride  Pilate. 
Drumraney. 


CHURCHES  REBUILT  SINCE  1799. 

Kells.  Oldcastle.  Leney. 

Dunshaughlin.  Clonard.  Ballyloughloe. 

Kentstown.  Rathwire.  Forgney. 

Enniskeen.  Dmmcree.  Moate,  enlarged. 

Kilmoon.  St.  Mary's,Drogheda  Duleek. 

Agher.  Mullingar.  Tara,    rebuilding. 

Kilbrew.  Ballyboy  Ratoath. 

Trim.  Kilbeggan.  Castlepollard. 

Navan.  Almoritia. 

Killohangan  1     Votes  of  Vestry  passed  for 
Bannagher     V     Rebuilding  them  on 
Castle  Town  J     Loans  from  the  First  Fruits. 

When  we  examine  these  long  lists,  we  get  some 
idea  of  how  great  a  debt  the  Diocese  of  Meath  owes 
to  Bishop  O'Beirne.  We  see  that  there  is  scarcely 
a  parish  within  its  bounds  which  does  not  at  this  present 
moment  show  some  token  of  his  energy  and  zeal. 
He  found  the  diocese  in  a  state  of  disorder  and  decay  : 
he  left  it  well  organized  and  efficient.  Indeed  we 
may  say  of  Meath  to-day  that  it  is  what  Bishop  O'Beirne 
made  it.  Other  bishops,  before  his  time  and  since, 
ruay  have  surpassed  him  in  some  ways,  for  we  have 
had  amongst  them  profound  scholars,  brilliant  orators, 
and  great  writers ;  but  as  a  ruler  and  shepherd 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS  155 

of  souls,  we  may  safely  say  of  him  that  he  was  the 
greatest  bishop  that  Meath  has  ever  seen. 

But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  O'Beirne  spent  all 
his  energies  on  externals,  such  as  the  building  of 
churches  and  the  providing  of  residences.  In  other 
respects,  too,  he  aimed  at  raising  his  diocese  to  a  high 
state  of  efficiency.  We  have  seen  that  he  himself  had 
remarkable  gifts  as  a  preacher,  and  we  find  that  he 
endeavoured  to  promote  the  cultivation  of  preaching 
power  amongst  his  clergy.  In  1810  he  made  this  the 
subject  of  his  Visitation  Charge,  and  a  copious  extract 
from  that  document  will  be  of  interest,  not  only  for  the 
light  which  it  throws  on  the  character  of  the  bishop 
and  the  state  of  his  diocese,  but  also  for  the  information 
which  it  contains  about  the  state  of  the  whole  Church 
of  Ireland  at  that  time. 

He  takes  for  his  text  the  prayer,  "  That  God  would 
be  pleased  to  illuminate  us  all  in  our  several  stations 
in  His  church  with  true  knowledge  and  understanding 
of  His  Word,  and  that  both  by  our  preaching  and 
living  we  may  set  it  forth  and  show  it  accordingly." 
He  speaks  of  the  duty  of  censuring  sin,  and  says  : 

There  is  no  part  of  our  function  that  requires  to  be  managed 
with  more  meekness  of  wisdom,  as  the  apostle  beautifully 
expresses  it,  than  the  reprobation  of  vice,  and  the  checking 
of  the  dissolute  and  profane  when  in  the  ordinary  commerce 
of  society,  in  which  we  must  engage,  they  give  a  loose  to  their 
vicious  habits,  and  insult  us  with  licentious  and  irreligious  con- 
versation  Within  the  precincts  of  your  respective  cures  f 

and  among  your  own  parishioners,  the  call  of  duty  is  different. 
There,  no  flagrant  violation  of  the  public  morals,  no  professed 
enmity  to  our  holy  religion,  no  open  or  avowed  contempt  of  its 
faith,  its  discipline,  or  its  ordinances,  should  ever  elude  your 
observation  or  escape  your  censure.  No  rank  should  be  too 
high  to  induce  you  to  overlook  the  pernicious  example  set 
to  your  flock  .  .  .  Open  rebuke  should  seldom  be  tried  :  it 
should  never  be  tried  until  private  remonstrance  shall  have 


156  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

failed.  .  .  .  Neither  will  the  spirit  of  the  times  admit  of 
your  enforcing  that  public  discipline  which  in  the  earlier  and 
more  pious  days  of  the  Reformation  provided  for  the 
exemplary  punishment  of  notable  crimes  and  notorious 
contumacy.  Should  the  notoriety  and  the  publicity  of  their 
delinquency  bear  you  out,  do  not  suffer  them  to  profane  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  but  privately  warn  them  not  to  present 
themselves  at  the  Holy  Table,  that  you  may  not  be  necessitated 
to  refuse  them  the  Bread  and  Wine,  as  the  rubric,  which  is  law 
for  you,  directs  you  to  do  in  all  instances  of  open  and  notorious 
evil  livers. 

From  this  we  may  conclude  that  the  bishop  desired 
to  see  in  each  parish  something  of  that  discipline  which 
he  was  endeavouring  to  establish  in  the  diocese.  We 
have  no  means  of  knowing  how  far  such  an  effort  was 
made,  or  if  made,  how  far  it  was  successful.  Probably, 
in  many  cases  he  received  no  great  co-operation  from 
the  clergy.  They  had  been  too  long  accustomed  to  a 
lax  discipline,  and  they  were  too  many  of  them  offenders 
themselves,  to  enter  much  into  the  spirit  of  a  reform 
such  as  the  bishop  desired.  Yet  we  can  scarcely  think 
that  these  weighty  admonitions  were  altogether 
without  result,  delivered  as  they  were  in  such  impressive 
language,  and  backed  with  such  an  excellent  example. 

He  does  not  appear  to  have  had  much  admiration 
for  the  training  that  divinity  students  got  in  those  days, 
for  he  says  that  "  from  the  course  of  studies  in  which 
persons  destined  for  Orders  are  engaged  previous  to 
their  admission  to  the  ministry,  and  which,  it  is  to 
be  lamented,  is  so  very  unappropriate  to  the  functions 
for  which  they  are  designed,  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  immediately  on  their  nomination  to  a  cure  of  souls 
they  should  possess  that  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures 
and  of  the  works  that  have  been  written  to  interpret 
and  illustrate  them,  that  would  enable  them  to  become 
competent  teachers  of  the  Word."  He  suggests, 


TWENTY-FIVE    YEARS   OF   PROGRESS  157 

as  the  safest  method,  to  begin  by  selecting  from  the 
works  of  the  great  masters  in  the  art  of  preaching  who 
have  gone  before  them,  the  matter  if  not  the  form  of 
their  public  discources.  But  discretion,  he  says, 
is  needful  in  selection,  for  "  what  can  be  so  lamentable 
as  to  see  a  congregation  of  farmers,  mechanics,  and 
labourers,  frustrated  of  every  hope  of  improvement 
they  indulge  in  at  the  return  of  every  Sabbath,  by  a 
minister  who  selects  for  them  some  of  the  highly 
finished  compositions  with  which  such  preachers  as 
Blair  so  powerfully  affected,  and  so  luminously  in- 
structed the  refined  audience  to  whom  they  addressed 
their  sermons." 

About  five  years  before  the  delivery  of  this  charge, 
Dean  Kirwan,  the  celebrated  preacher,  had  passed  away. 
He  it  was  of  whom  Grattan  said  that,  "  he  came  to 
interrupt  the  repose  of  the  pulpit,  and  he  shakes  one 
world  with  the  thunder  of  the  other."  Like  O'Beirne, 
he  had  begun  life  as  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Like  him,  too,  he  had  gone  to  Saint  Omer's  College 
for  his  education.  O'Beirne  left  that  college  in  1768  ; 
Kirwan  left  it  in  1771  ;  so  there  is  the  possibility  that 
they  may  have  been  both  in  that  seminary  at  the 
same  time.  All  this  renders  the  following  criticism  of 
Kirwan  the  more  interesting.  It  is  evident,  from 
what  the  bishop  says,  that  the  dean  had  many 
imitators.  Indeed,  it  is  said  that  he  founded  a  new 
school  of  pulpit  eloquence  in  the  Irish  Church.  O'Beirne, 
however,  was  by  no  means  inclined  to  encourage  the 
new  style  of  oratory,  and  his  strictures  are  of  his  usual 
vigorous  kind. 

You  will  not  take  for  your  model  (he  says),  those 
pompous  haranguers  who  always  declaim,  but  never  discourse 
nor  talk  to  their  hearers — who  mount  the  pulpit  on  stilts— 
who  despise  all  use  of  natural  and  familiar  language,  as 


158  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

belonging  to  a  flat  or  creeping  style — and  who  place  all  the 
perfection  of  pulpit  eloquence,  some  in  an  unceasing  flow  of 
rounded  periods,  some  in  epigrammatic  points  and  well  turned 
conceits,  some  in  repeated  flashes  of  brilliant  expressions, 
strained  metaphors,  and  figures  so  far-fetched  as  to  defy  all 
application. 

An  attempt  has  been  lately  made  in  this  country  to  form 
a  school  of  this  false  and  tinsel  school  of  pulpit  eloquence.  The 
great  master  of  that  school,  although  possessed  of  great  natural 
powers  to  move  the  passions,  to  amuse  the  fancy,  and  to 
captivate  the  ear,  yet  was  unqualified  from  the  course  of  his 
early  studies  for  filling  the  pulpit  in  the  character  of  a  Protestant 
parochial  minister.  He  was  uneducated  and  unexercised  in 
that  species  of  eloquence  that  peculiarly  belongs  to  it.  His 
attempt  was  to  introduce  the  declamatory,  florid,  and  highly 
ornamented  style  of  the  French  preachers,  and  their  theatrical 
manner  and  vehement  gesticulations,  instead  of  the  sober, 
modest,  chastened  style,  manner  and  delivery,  that  dis- 
tinguishes the  fathers  of  our  Church,  that  are  suited  to  the 
spirit  of  our  reformed  religion  ;  less  impassioned,  but  more 
lastingly  impressive  ;  full  of  weight  and  gravity,  and  necessarily 
adopted  by  all  who  address  the  reason  and  the  conviction, 
before  they  attempt  the  heart  and  its  affections.  His  dis- 
courses were  like  most  French  discourses — pictures  of  the 
age,  and  invectives  against  its  follies  and  disorders,  more  than 
vehicles  for  conveying  Gospel  truths  and  Gospel  principles, 
or  than  enforcement  of  Gospel  duties.  .  .  .  These  were  the 
"  thunders  by  which  he  broke  the  slumber  of  the  pulpit," — 
(an  affected  and  invidious  phrase  so  often  quoted) — and  kept 
those  awake  who  probably  would  have  slept  with  the  young 
man  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  if  Saint  Paul  himself  preached 
the  Gospel  to  them.  This  extraordinary  man — for  such  he 
doubtless  was — had  for  some  time  many  imitators  among 
the  younger  clergy,  who  were  ambitious  to  share  in  the 
celebrity  he  had  acquired.  But,  like  all  imitations,  they  copied 
all  his  faults  and  imperfections,  without  the  fascinations  of 
genius  that  in  him  covered  them  all. 

In  the  concluding  part  of  the  charge,  the  bishop 
deals  with  sectaries,  and  with  the  duty  of  preaching 
against  them ;  but  he  adds  the  warning  that  where 
they  have  not  made  their  appearance,  "  it  may  be  the 
more  prudent  way  not  to  force  them  on  the  notice 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS  159 

of  your  parishioners ; "  adding  that  "  in  most  parts 
of  this  diocese  they  are  unknown." 

Meath  probably  had  to  thank  the  sparseness  of  her 
population  more  than  anything  else  for  her  comparative 
freedom  from  sectaries.  In  other  parts  of  the  country, 
and  possibly  in  parts  of  Meath  also,  they  seem  to  have 
been  particularly  active  about  this  time.  O'Beirne's 
method  of  dealing  with  them  was  to  increase  the 
earnestness  and  zeal  of  the  clergy.  He  addressed  a 
letter  to  his  rural  deans  in  1821  on  this  subject.  His 
words  would  be  applicable  in  some  respects  to  the 
present  day.  He  says  : — 

It  is  the  reproach  of  her  enemies  that  her  clergy  have  in 
general  become  so  secularized  that  they  have  lost  the  stamp 
of  their  holy  profession,  and  we  every  day  hear  it  admitted 
by  her  nominal  friends  that  it  is  not  without  reason  that 
sectaries  and  seceders  arrogate  to  themselves  the  exclusive 
praise  of  that  zealous  discharge  of  the  pastoral  duties,  to  which 
every  minister  of  the  Gospel  pledges  himself,  on  his  having 
the  care  of  souls  committed  to  him  in  the  Lord. 

As  to  what  depends  on  me,  what  I  have  chiefly  at  heart  is 
to  see,  before  I  shall  be  called  away  to  answer  for  my  own 
stewardship,  the  establishment  of  a  parochial  clergy  in  the 
diocese,  who  should  manifest  the  zeal  of  those  sectaries  and 
seceders,  without  the  fanaticism  and  excluding  spirit  that  serve 
only  to  render  their  zeal  dangerous,  and  destructive  of  all 
Christian  morality  and  true  religion.  It  would  be  to  see  that 
every  officiating  minister  whom  I  should  license  should  be  as 
distinguished  for  assiduity  and  earnestness  in  preserving  all 
who  are  committed  to  his  charge  from  being  tainted  and  led 
away  by  false  teachers,  who  are  daily  multiplying  around  us, 
as  those  teachers  are  in  gaining  proselytes  from  the  Established 
Church.  While  professing  to  teach  her  articles  of  faith,  they 
pervert  them  as  they  pervert  the  Scriptures,  and  deduce  from 
them  doctrines  which  the  pious  and  learned  compilers  of  them, 
and  all  their  most  distinguished  successors,  have  uniformly 
condemned  as  unknown  to  the  Gospel. 

Severe  must  be  the  account  which  every  individual  amongst 
us  shall  have  to  give,  when  his  ministry  is  ended  with  his  life, 
if  he  shall  be  found  to  have  discharged  that  ministry  with  the 


l6o  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

torpor  and  lnke-warmncss  that  so  evidently  bespeak  the  total 
absence  of  that  primitive  spirit,  to  which,  I  fear,  we  are  in  a 
great  measure  to  attribute  the  apathy  in  all  matters  of  their 
religion  that  characterizes  so  many  amongst  the  Protestants  of 
this  country,  and  the  little  attachment  they  show  to  the 
pure  and  reformed  church  into  which  they  have  been  baptized. 

The  "  sectaries  and  seceders  "  which  the  bishop  had 
immediately  in  his  mind  when  he  made  these  observa- 
tions were  the  agents  of  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society. 
It  is  a  fundamental  principle  of  that  society  as  at 
present  constituted  that  it  is  simply  the  handmaid 
of  other  organizations,  and  that  it  should  therefore 
confine  itself  to  the  task  of  circulating  the  Scriptures, 
without  note  or  comment.  In  the  early  years  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  however,  things  were  differently 
managed,  and  the  methods  of  the  society  failed  to 
commend  themselves  to  many  sober- minded  Churchmen. 
Remonstrances  were  made  from  time  to  time,  and 
animated  discussions  took  place  both  in  the  committee 
and  at  the  public  meetings  of  the  society.  In  the  end, 
the  Irish  bishops  as  a  body  withdrew  their  patronage, 
and  severed  their  connection  with  that  organization. 
O'Beirne  tells  us  that  "  the  management  of  the 
Hibernian  Bible  Society  has  entirely  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  sectaries  and  seceders,  and  the  establishment 
of  their  auxiliary  societies,  wherever  it  takes  place 
through  the  country,  has  for  its  immediate  object  the 
increase  of  the  number  of  their  proselytes,  and  the 
extension  and  prevalence  of  their  doctrines." 

It  was  characteristic  of  Bishop  O'Beirne  that  his 
opposition  to  the  methods  of  the  Bible  Society  did 
not  take  the  shape  of  mere  destructive  criticism,  but 
of  vigorous  counter  organization.  He  directed  each 
rural  dean  to  form  a  deanery  branch  of  the  Diocesan 
Bible  Society,  which  was  affiliated  with  the  Association 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS  l6l 

for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  They  were  to 
"  make  every  exertion  to  procure  the  countenance  and 
co-operation  of  the  respectable  laymen  in  their  respec- 
tive deaneries,  and  their  presence  at  the  meetings 
appointed  by  the  rural  dean  for  the  promotion  of 
the  important  object  of  the  society,  that  of  dis- 
seminating the  Scriptures,  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  and  tracts  breathing  the  genuine  spirit  and 
inculcating  the  pure  morals  and  unadulterated  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel."  The  clergy  were  all  directed  to  aid  in 
this,  and  the  bishop  adds  :  "I  could  not  experience 
a  more  sensible  mortification  than  to  find  that  in  some 
instances  the  rural  dean  cannot  induce  the  clergy  of 
his  deanery  to  take  any  active  part  in  the  formation  of 
these  societies,  or  to  attend  the  meetings  ;  and  I  repeat 
that  the  clergyman  who  betrays  such  a  want  of  feeling 
of  what  he  owes  to  his  own  character  and  to  his  sacred 
profession,  must  expect  to  have  his  name  brought  by 
me  before  his  brethren  at  the  visitation,  with  the  stigma 
he  so  justly  deserves." 

The  friction  with  the  Bible  Society  continued  for  a 
considerable  time,  and  some  strong  language  was  used 
on  both  sides.  Conciliatory  resolutions  were  passed 
at  the  meetings  of  the  society,  but  the  language  of 
individual  members  who  took  part  in  the  debate 
scarcely  accorded  with  the  moderate  tone  of  these 
resolutions.  One  speaker,  a  beneficed  clergyman  of 
the  Diocese  of  Dublin,  referring  to  the  secession  of  his 
own  diocesan,  spoke  of  it  as  "  the  lopping  off  of  rotten 
branches  giving  fresh  vigour  to  the  tree,  and  a  promise 
of  more  abundant  and  better  fruit."  Happily  these 
differences  have  long  since  been  adjusted.  Even  the 
"  Meath  Bible  Society,"  formed,  as  we  have  seen,  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society,  is  now 
an  auxiliary  to  that  institution. 

VOL.  II.  M 


l62     HISTORY  OF  THE  DIOCESE  OF  MEATH 

This  controversy  with  the  Hibernian  Bible  Society 
took  place  in  the  year  1821,  when  the  bishop  was 
already  an  old  man,  and  indeed  was  nearing  his  end. 
It  tells  us  how  he  retained  his  energy  to  the  last,  and 
was  keenly  alive  to  the  welfare  of  his  diocese. 

It  is  to  Bishop  O'Beirne  that  we  owe  the  first 
establishment  of  clerical  meetings  in  the  Church  of 
Ireland.  We  have  no  records  to  show  whether  he 
actually  held  such  assemblies  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 
but  the  presumption  is  that  he  did  so,  for  during  the 
short  time  that  he  presided  over  the  Diocese  of  Ossory 
he  established  them  there,  and  they  continued  as 
long  as  he  was  bishop  of  that  See.  In  the  circular  which 
he  issued  on  that  occasion  he  speaks  of  the  project 
as  one  which  he  had  "  very  much  at  heart."  He  drew 
up  the  following  rules  for  the  conduct  of  the  meetings, 
and  we  learn  from  them  that  they  were  carried  on 
practically  in  the  same  way  as  the  clerical  meetings 
of  the  present  day. 

PLAN  OF  THE  MEETING. 

To  interpret  and  explain  the  New  Testament,  beginning 
by  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew,  and  going  through  four  chapters 
at  least  at  each  meeting. 

Each  person  to  come  prepared  to  expound  the  original  Greek 
and  acquainted  with  such  commentaries  as  he  can  procure, 
according  to  his  convenience  and  means. 

The  explanation  to  be  followed  by  a  lecture  on  the  chapter 
that  shall  have  been  expounded  ;  which  lecture  the  bishop 
is  to  prepare. 

To  conclude  with  an  enquiry  into  the  principal  events,  and 
the  principal  agents  of  the  several  ages  of  the  Church,  beginning 
by  the  first  age. 

The  meeting  to  be  held  in  the  Cathedral  Library  (which 
is  open  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  wish  to  consult  what- 
ever books  may  be  found  there  proper  for  the  occasion)  and  to 
dine  with  the  bishop.  2 

a  Madden,  Memoir  of  the  latt  Rev.  Pettr  R»e, 


TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS   OF   PROGRESS  163 

In  the  year  1821,  Bishop  O'Beirne  undertook 
his  last  confirmation  tour.  There  is  a  short  account 
of  it  in  Saunder's  News  Letter  of  August  the  fourth  in 
that  year,  which  may  here  be  reproduced  : — 

The  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  attended  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Pakenham  as  chaplain,  arrived  in  Mullingar  on  Saturday  last 
in  order  to  consecrate  the  church ;  but  unhappily  some  cir- 
cumstance occurred  which  prevented  its  accomplishment. 
However,  his  Lordship,  anxious  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
parishioners,  has  licensed  the  church,  until  an  opportunity  shall 
occur,  when  he  will  perform  the  ceremony  as  he  had  originally 
intended.  He  preached  on  Sunday  on  the  subject  of  Con- 
firmation. To  show  the  hallowed  respect  which  every  member 
of  the  Protestant  Church  should  feel  for  her  ordinances,  the 
Bishop  of  Meath  has  ventured,  almost  at  the  risk  of  his  life, 
to  journey  from  one  end  of  the  diocese  to  the  other,  to  perform 
the  ceremony  of  Confirmation. 

Bishop  O'Beirne  died  at  Ardbraccan  on  the 
I7th  of  February,  1823.  A  tablet  erected  to  his 
memory  in  the  Parish  Church  very  fittingly  recounts 
the  progress  of  the  diocese  during  his  episcopate  as 
the  most  appropriate  record  of  his  life.  It  reads  as 
follows  : — 

Near  this  Place  are  interred  the  Mortal  Remains  of 

The  Most  Reverend  and  Right  Honorable 

THOMAS  LEWIS  O'BEIRNE,  D.D., 

Lord  Bishop  of  Meath, 
The  Chief  Objects  of  whose  Life  were 
To  promote  Happiness  in  his  Family  by  Affection  and 

Benevolence, 

And  to  diffuse  Piety  and  Holiness  through  his  Diocese, 
By  guiding  and  directing  his  Parochial  Clergy 

In  the  Performance  of  the  Awful  Duties 
Incumbent  on  them  as  Ministers  of  the  United  Church. 
During  the  25  Years  that  he  presided  over  this  See 

There  were  erected  in  it 
72  Glebe  Houses  and  57  Churches 
He  died  February  I7th,  1823, 
Aged  76  Years. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
THE  TITHE  WAR. 

ON  the  death  of  Bishop  O'Beirne  speculation  was 
naturally  rife  as  to  his  successor  in  the  See  of  Meath. 
Among  the  names  mentioned  was  that  of  the  brother 
of  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  The  following  paragraph 
appeared  in  the  Dublin  Evening  Post  on  February  2/th, 
1823,  just  ten  days  after  the  death  of  the  bishop  : 

THE  NEW  BISHOP. 

Some  of  the  London  papers  state  that  the  Irish  Bishopric 
of  Meath,  vacant  by  the  recent  death  of  Doctor  O'Beirne, 
has  been  offered  to  the  Honourable  and  Reverend  Gerard 
Wellesley,  brother  of  our  illustrious  chief  governor.  The 
Morning  Chronicle  intimates  that  the  offer  has  been  accepted 
and  that  the  appointment  has  already  actually  taken  place. 

In  this  case  the  forecast — for  it  was  nothing  more — 
was  mistaken.  The  choice  of  the  Crown  was  the  Right 
Reverend  Nathaniel  Alexander,  who  had  been  con- 
secrated Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  1801,  and  translated  to 
Down  and  Connor  in  1823.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Robert  Alexander,  Esquire,  elder  brother  to  James 
first  Earl  of  Caledon,  and  was  uncle  to  our  present 
illustrious  Primate,  to  whom  he  had  a  remarkable 
resemblance  in  his  personal  appearance.  Like  most 
of  his  predecessors,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Privy 
Council.  He  continued  to  rule  the  See  of  Meath  until 
his  death,  which  took  place  in  1840. 

It  was  well  for  the  diocese  that  it  had  been  so 
thoroughly  organized  under  O'Beirne,  for  in  common 
with  the  whole  Church  of  Ireland,  it  was  now  called 


THE   TITHE   WAR  165 

on  to  pass  through  a  time  of  great  trial,  due  to  what 
is  known  as  the  tithe  war.  The  population  of  the 
country  was  at  this  time  rapidly  increasing,  but 
agriculture,  which  was  then  as  now  the  principal 
industry,  was  in  a  backward  state,  and  consequently 
the  productiveness  of  the  land  was  not  advancing 
in  the  same  proportion.  The  result  was  that  a  large 
number  of  the  people  were  in  such  a  condition  that  a 
single  unpropitious  season  was  sufficient  to  bring  them 
face  to  face  with  the  horrors  of  famine.  In  1822  the 
suffering  became  so  great  that  Parliament  voted  a  sum 
of  half  a  million  pounds  for  the  alleviation  of  Irish 
distress.  Such  a  time  has  always  been  in  Ireland  a 
season  of  agitation  and  unrest,  and  this  was  no 
exception  to  the  rule.  The  malcontents  found  a 
leader  in  Daniel  O'Connell,  who  at  this  time  was 
beginning  to  make  his  influence  felt,  and  under  his 
auspices  an  organization  was  founded,  known  as  the 
"  Catholic  Association."  Its  object  was  two-fold  : 
the  obtaining  of  Catholic  emancipation,  and  the 
abolition  of  tithes. 

The  former  of  these,  though  it  was  perhaps  of  the 
greater  importance  politically,  does  not  concern  us 
here.  It  was  a  measure  that  must  have  been  passed 
sooner  or  later,  and  the  mistake  made  was  that  it  was 
too  long  delayed,  and  in  the  end  only  granted  in 
response  to  agitation,  so  that  the  disturbers  of  the 
country  could  boast  that  it  had  been  extorted  by  force. 
The  Protestants  of  Ireland,  who  had  so  administered 
the  penal  laws  that  their  operation  was  for  the  most 
part  unfelt  by  those  against  whom  they  were  directed, 
were  certainly  not  to  blame  for  the  delay,  and  many 
of  them — those  of  Meath  among  the  number— joined 
with  their  Roman  Catholic  fellow  countrymen  in 
petitioning  for  their  repeal. 


l66  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

The  anti-tithe  movement  was  a  blow  struck  directly 
at  the  Church  of  Ireland.  The  incomes  of  the  clergy 
were  for  the  most  part  derived  from  this  source ; 
when,  therefore,  payment  was  refused,  it  simply  meant 
that  the  parsons  were  left  without  any  maintenance. 
The  institution  was  unknown  in  the  ancient  Irish 
Church,  and  was  only  introduced  into  the  country  by 
the  Romanizers  of  the  twelfth  century.  From  the 
first  it  encountered  considerable  opposition,  and  it  is 
said — though  the  assertion  is  not  easy  to  verify — that 
it  was  never  paid  in  those  parts  which  lay  beyond  the, 
English  Pale.  We  have  already  seen  how  at  various  times 
the  collection  of  these  payments  had  become  difficult, 
and  sometimes  impossible.  In  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  the  opposition  took  a  new  form.  The 
discontented  no  longer  formed  themselves  into  armed 
bands.  They  adopted  more  peaceable  but  not  less 
efficacious  methods.  "  Agitation  "  —so  familiar  a 
feature  in  modern  Irish  politics — took  its  rise  about 
this  time,  and  Daniel  O'Connell  may  be  said  to  have 
been  the  parent  of  that  new  force  which  he  himself 
wielded  so  adroitly,  and  which  has  proved  to  be  so 
powerful  all  through  the  century. 

During  the  episcopate  of  Bishop  O'Beirne  the  first 
rumblings  of  the  coming  storm  were  heard,  and  the 
subject  had  given  rise  to  considerable  discussion  and 
ill-feeling.  The  bishop  wrote  a  pamphlet  dealing  with 
the  controversy,  which  he  entitled,  A  Letter  from  an 
Irish  Dignitary  to  an  English  Clergyman  on  the  Subject 
of  Tithes  in  Ireland.  This  pamphlet  was  considered 
to  be  such  a  powerful  statement  of  the  Church's  case, 
that  it  was  reprinted  for  more  general  circulation  after 
the  bishop's  death.  The  great  argument  that  he  uses 
is  that  the  title  of  the  clergy  to  their  tenth  part  rests 
precisely  on  the  same  foundation  as  the  title  of  the 


THE   TITHE   WAR  167 

laity  to  the  remaining  nine  parts.  This  proposition 
was  vehemently  denied  by  the  opponents  of  tithes, 
who  were  always  loud  in  their  assertion  that  they  were 
making  no  attack  on  the  rights  of  property.  The  bishop 
urged  that  the  two  things  held  together,  and  he  reminds 
landowners  that  rent  as  well  as  tithe  was  being  attacked. 
"  Is  there  a  day,"  he  asks,  "  in  which  we  do  not  hear 
of  insurrections  and  disturbances  in  some  district  or 
another  in  consequence  of  the  exorbitant  rents  to 
which  lands  have  risen  ?  "  He  argues,  too,  that  all 
transfers  of  property  had  been  made  subject  to  the 
payment  of  tithe,  and  that  therefore  it  stood  in  the 
exact  same  position  as  did  the  payment  of  rent. 
Arguments  such  as  these,  however  convincing  they 
might  be  in  themselves,  could  have  little  influence  in 
swaying  the  passions  of  an  excited  mob,  and  it  was 
by  mob  violence  that  the  whole  subject  was  discussed. 
The  government  seemed  to  be  quite  powerless.  In 
1832  it  undertook  the  collection  of  the  tithe,  but  the 
experiment  proved  a  conspicuous  failure.  It  is  said 
that  a  sum  of  twelve  thousand  pounds  was  collected 
at  an  expense  of  twenty-seven  thousand,  and  the 
attempt  to  levy  the  remainder  was  at  length  abandoned 
in  despair.  The  methods  adopted  by  the  agitators, 
and  the  impotence  of  the  government  in  dealing  with 
them,  may  be  understood  from  the  following  account 
which  appeared  in  Tale's  Edinburgh  Magazine  at 
the  time  : 

The  system  of  the  Catholic  Association  is  the  very  reverse 
of  violence.  It  is  humble  submission  to  law.  It  is  the 
extremity  of  passive  obedience,  but  dictated  by  the  most 
determined  spirit  of  resistance.  The  cattle  are  seized,  im- 
pounded, brought  to  auction  ;  but  a  plague  seems  upon  them — 
no  one  will  bid  a  shilling — no  one  will  buy  them.  Tithe  has 
been  branded  on  them  the  moment  they  were  seized.  A  Roman 
could  not  shun  with  greater  horror  anything  devoted  to  the 


l68  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

infernal  gods  than  a  whole  people  the  cattle  branded  with  that 
single  word.  They  are  driven  to  Dublin  under  a  guard  of 
police,  perhaps  soldiers,  and  there  shipped  for  Liverpool,  but 
their  evil  fame  has  gone  before,  the  obnoxious  word  is  on  them, 
and  there,  too,  no  buyer  can  be  found.  The  consequence  is 
that  no  cattle  are  seized,  and  tithes  are  therefore  at  an  end. 

Meath  was  not  one  of  those  districts  in  which  the 
tithe  agitators  were  particularly  strong,  yet  there  were 
many  distressing  scenes,  and  much  suffering  on  the 
part  of  the  clergy.  The  following  is  from  the  Annual 
Register  for  the  year  1831  : — 

The  peasantry  set  up  their  own  uncontrolled  law  of  force. 
They  directed  themselves  against  the  tithes  of  the  Church, 
and  the  rents  and  property  of  the  laity.  Marching  armed  to 
the  residence  of  the  clergy,  they  compelled  them  to  reduce 
the  legal  rate  of  the  tithes,  or  to  abandon  it  altogether. 
Vengeance  was  denounced  by  all  manner  of  threatening 
notices,  not  only  against  the  persons  who  should  exact,  but 
against  the  farmers  who  should  pay  it,  and  the  menaces  were 
carried  into  execution  by  murder,  rapine,  and  arson.  In  the 
County  Meath  they  marched  from  house  to  house,  taking 
the  labourers  from  their  work  and  the  horses  from  the  plough, 
and  so  soon  as  the  military  had  dispersed  an  assemblage  at  one 
point,  a  new  one  started  up  at  another. 

On  the  twenty-third  of  May  in  the  same  year  (1831) 
there  was  a  serious  riot  at  Castlepollard  in  connection 
with  some  legal  proceedings  for  the  recovery  of  tithe. 
The  following  is  the  account,  as  given  in  the  Annual 
Register  : — 

At  the  fair  of  Castlepollard,  in  the  County  Westmeath, 
the  police  had  occasion  to  seize  an  offender.  The  mob 
attacked  the  police,  the  prisoner  was  rescued  and  carried  off 
in  triumph,  renewed  assaults  were  made,  the  chief  constable 
was  knocked  to  the  ground,  the  police  fired,  and  nine  or  ten 
persons  were  killed.  At  the  Mullingar  assizes,  in  the  month 
of  July  following,  bills  of  indictment  for  murder  were  presented 
to  the  Grand  Jury  against  several  of  the  police.  The  Grand 
Jury  ignored  the  bills  for  murder,  but  in  four  cases  found 


THE  TITHE   WAR  169 

bills  for  manslaughter.  The  prisoners  were  then  put  upon 
their  trial,  and  were  all  acquitted.  As  the  year  advanced,  the 
frightful  mixture  of  lawless  violence  on  the  one  hand,  and  of 
bloody  repression  on  the  other,  lost  little  of  its  horrors.  Pay- 
ment of  tithe  was  almost  everywhere  refused,  and  the  usual 
system  of  threats  and  murder  was  again  set  in  motion.  The 
clergyman  dared  not  ask — the  willing  occupier  dared  not  pay. 
The  law  was  powerless,  and  wherever  the  officers  of  the 
law  interfered,  open  and  bloody  war  was  declared  against 
them. 

The  reports  of  these  proceedings  published  in  the 
English  Radical  journals  were  very  much  what  they 
would  be  at  the  present  day.  The  mob  was  declared 
to  be  peaceful  and  orderly.  It  was  the  officers  of  the 
Crown  who  were  the  disturbers  and  aggressors.  Here 
is  the  account,  taken  from  Tate's  Edinburgh  Journal, 
of  the  occurrence  last  narrated  : — 

At  Castlepollard  a  stone  or  two  fell  on  the  bayonets.  There 
was  no  evidence  to  prove  that  the  police  were  in  danger  ; 
and  what  is  conclusive,  not  a  single  policeman  was  produced 
with  the  slightest  mark  of  injury  on  his  person.  But  the 
excuse  was  given.  They  turned  round  and  fired  by  threes  into 
the  middle  of  the  crowd. 

From    the    same    source    we    take    the    following 
description  of  a  scene  at  Kentstown,  where  cattle  had 
been  seized  in  consequence  of  non-payment  of  tithe  :— 

A  sale  was  lately  attempted  in  the  County  of  Meath  of  the 
farm  stocking  of  Mr.  Christopher  Morgan  of  Kentstown,  and 
at  the  auction  there  appeared  upwards  of  twenty  thousand 
persons  "  to  mark  the  bidders,"  but  no  bidder  was  to  be  found 
among  the  whole  assemblage.  A  sale  was  again  attempted 
a  week  or  two  afterwards,  when  there  was  the  same  assemblage, 
and  the  same  result.  No  disturbance  whatever  took  place  on 
either  occasion.  The  ministry,  by  the  slowness  of  their 
measures  in  the  abolition  of  tithes  and  the  repeal  of  the  house 
and  window  duties,  are  giving  the  people  an  opportunity  of 
perfecting  themselves  in  the  art  of  passive  resistance — an  art 


I7O  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

which  is  likely  soon  to  become  more  effective  in  protecting  the 
people  from  unjust  burdens  than  a  reformed  Parliament." 

It  does  not  fall  within  the  province  of  this  history 
to  discuss  the  question  of  tithes,  whether  they  were 
just  or  unjust ;  nor  have  we  to  sit  in  judgment  on  the 
rulers  of  those  days,  and  decide  whether  they  acted 
wisely  or  with  due  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  people. 
We  have  only  to  note  that  the  time  was  one  of  great 
suffering  and  privation  to  the  clergy.  Many  of  them 
were  reduced  to  the  direst  poverty,  and  so  great  was 
the  distress,  that  a  sum  of  one  million  of  money  was 
granted  from  the  Treasury,  first  as  a  loan  to  the  tithe 
owners,  and  afterwards  turned  into  a  gift.  Various 
Acts  of  Parliament  were  passed,  beginning  with  the 
Tithe  Composition  Act  in  1824,  and  ending  with  the  Act 
passed  in  1838,  which  substituted  a  rent-charge  for 
the  tithe  formerly  paid.  This  last  Act  brought  the  tithe 
agitation  to  an  end.  By  it  the  payment  was  transferred 
from  the  occupier  of  the  land  to  the  owner,  a  reduction  of 
twenty-five  per  cent,  being  made  at  the  same  time, 
as  a  reasonable  allowance  "  for  the  greater  facility 
and  security  of  collection  arising  out  of  such  transfer 
of  liability  from  the  occupiers  to  the  owners  of  lands." 
This,  with  some  slight  modifications,  continued  to  be 
the  law  as  to  the  payment  of  tithe  down  to  the  time 
of  disestablishment. 

The  rural  deans'  returns  at  this  period  reveal  to  us 
the  fact  that  the  diocese  was  fully  organized  and 
efficiently  administered.  For  that  reason  they  lend 
themselves  less  to  quotation  than  do  some  others  from 
which  extracts  have  been  already  given.  The  returns 
for  the  year  1826  go  into  greater  detail  than  most  of 
the  others,  and  the  account  of  the  Parish  of  Athlone 
may  here  be  given,  as  a  fair  specimen  of  what  they  are 


THE   TITHE    WAR  17 1 

like.  It  speaks  of  progress  and  prosperity,  but  is  not 
exceptional  in  this  respect.  Of  most  parishes  it  was 
possible  to  give  an  equally  favourable  account  : 

New  church  building,  not  yet  fit  for  divine  service.  For  the 
Communion  there  is  a  cup  and  chalice,1  two  plates,  one  patten, 
a  knife  and  spoon,  all  silver.  Two  table  cloths  and  two  napkins, 
one  Bible,  and  three  Prayer  Books  (the  Bible  in  good  order, 
the  Prayer  Books  in  indifferent  order)  belong  to  the  church. 
The  churchyard  is  well  enclosed.  No  dead  body  has  been 
buried  in  church,  or  within  twelve  feet  of  walls,  during 
last  year.  Divine  service  is  regularly  performed  on  the  Lord's 
Day  at  noon  and  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  on 
every  festival  and  holiday  throughout  the  year,  and  on  every 
day  in  Passion  Week.  The  minister  and  congregation  are 
punctual  to  the  appointed  hour.  The  average  number  of 
congregation  at  present  300.  The  place  used  for  divine  service 
being  too  small  to  contain  the  entire  number  of  Protestants 
in  the  parish,  it  is  supposed  when  the  church  is  finished  the 
average  number  may  amount  to  600.  The  Sacrament  is 
administered  on  the  first  Sunday  of  every  month,  and  on 
Christmas  Day,  Easter  Sunday,  and  Whitsunday.  The  number 
of  communicants  on  Christmas  Day  last  was  402  ;  on  Sundays 
from  40  to  60.  The  number  of  congregation  increasing.  The 
number  of  communicants  doubled  within  the  last  four  years. 
The  congregation  are  generally  furnished  with  Prayer  Books. 
The  number  of  families  of  the  Established  Church  are  increasing 
very  much.  The  children  are  catechized  every  Sunday,  from 
two  to  three  o'clock,  by  the  master,  and  on  every  Friday,  by 
the  incumbent,  at  the  school.  They  are  also  catechized  every 
Sunday  at  the  Sunday  School.  The  glebe-house  and  offices 
are  in  excellent  repair.  The  present  incumbent  has  just 
expended  £600  in  building  a  new  range  of  offices.  The  glebe- 
house  is  furnished  and  occupied  by  incumbent.  A  terrier 
has  been  taken  but  not  lodged.  Cornelius  Gallery  has  just 
been  appointed  parish  clerk  ;  he  is  well  qualified.  He  is 
schoolmaster  also,  is  well  qualified,  discharges  his  duty 
regularly,  and  attends  church  and  the  Sacrament  constantly. 
The  number  of  children  attending  him  from  100  to  120  in 
summer  ;  in  winter,  from  70  to  90,  some  of  whom  pay  from  one 
penny  to  two-pence  per  week.  The  late  William  Handcock, 
Esq.,  left  £20  per  annum  for  the  endowment  of  a  Protestant 

1  Chalice  in  this  case  means  what  we  would  call  a  flagon. 


172  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

school-master,  and  the  late  Arthur  St.  George  left  £5  and  a 
house  for  ever  to  an  English  Protestant  school-master,  but 
neither  of  these  endowments  are  available  for  the  above 
purposes.  There  is  a  parochial  school-house  at  present,  and 
one  is  to  be  built  this  summer  by  the  incumbent,  chiefly  at  his 
own  expense.  There  is  a  registry  regularly  kept  in  parchment, 
and  a  copy  annually  lodged.  There  is  a  preachers'  book 
regularly  kept.  Baptism  is  administered  in  church  on  the 
Lord's  Day  after  divine  service.  The  sick  are  diligently  visited. 
Matrimony  is  solemnized  in  church,  and  in  canonical  hours. 
The  vestry  accounts  are  regularly  settled  in  Easter  week. 
The  number  of  Roman  Catholic  families  supposed  increasing. 
No  Protestant  dissenters  in  the  parish. 

The  same  items  of  information  are  given  with  regard 
to  every  parish,  showing  that  they  are  answers  to 
specific  questions.  This  fact  shows  us  that  the  rural 
deans'  inspection  was  very  thorough,  and  that  the 
bishop  kept  himself  well  acquainted  with  the  state  of 
every  parish  in  his  diocese. 

We  have  another  source  of  information  in  the 
reports  of  several  Commissions,  Royal  and  Parlia- 
mentary, which  were  held  during  the  episcopacy  of 
Bishop  Alexander.  They  show  that  the  work  begun 
by  O'Beirne  was  carried  on  by  him  with  vigour  and 
success.  We  may  choose  the  Report  of  the  Ecclesias- 
tical Commission,  1833,  as  sufficiently  far  on  in  his 
episcopate  to  show  how  the  diocese  fared  under  his 
rule.  It  gives  us  the  following  summary  account 
of  the  duties  performed  in  the  churches  by  the  several 
incumbents  : 

In  the  ninety-nine  churches  in  this  diocese,  divine  service 
is  celebrated,  in  nine  of  them  twice  on  all  Sundays  ;  in  forty- 
three,  twice  on  Sundays  in  summer  and  once  in  winter  ;  and 
in  forty-seven  once  on  all  Sundays  during  the  year,  exclusive 
of  the  celebration  of  service  in  each  on  the  principal  festivals. 
In  six  of  these  churches,  viz.  :  Kells,  Kilbride-Tullamore, 
Mullingar,  Navan,  Rathgraffe,  and  Trim,  there  is  one  service 


THE   TITHE   WAR  173 

performed  on  all  Wednesdays  and  Fridays  ;  and  in  Athlone 
Church  a  service  on  every  Friday.  And  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Holy  Communion  is  celebrated  monthly,  and  on  the  three 
great  festivals  during  the  year  in  seven,  fourteen  times  in  one, 
monthly  in  ten,  twelve  times  in  five,  ten  times  in  two,  nine  times 
in  one,  eight  times  in  five,  seven  times  in  three,  every  second 
month  in  three,  six  times  exclusive  of  festivals  in  one,  six 
times  in  forty-nine,  five  times  in  one,  four  times  in  ten,  and 
three  times  in  one  of  these  churches. 

There  were  altogether  one  hundred  and  three 
incumbents,  of  whom  eighty-nine  were  residents 
and  fourteen  non-resident.  This  shows  that  the  evil 
of  non-residence,  which  had  been  so  rife  at  the  beginning 
of  the  century,  had  practically  ceased  to  exist,  for 
eight  of  the  fourteen  parishes  in  which  the  incumbent 
was  non-resident  were  districts  small  in  extent,  with 
no  church,  and  in  most  cases  no  church  population. 
Provision  was  made  by  payment  to  neighbouring 
clergymen  for^the  performance  of  any  occasional  duty 
that  might  arise.  The  other  parishes  in  which  the 
incumbent  was  non-resident  had  a  resident  curate. 
Altogether  there  were  thirty-eight  curates  employed 
in  the  diocese,  which  with  the  eighty-nine  resident 
incumbents,  made  a  clerical  staff  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-one.  The  church  population  of  the  diocese  was 
at  that  time  about  two  and  a  half  times  what  it  is  at 
present,  but  even  when  we  take  this  into  account, 
it  must  be  admitted  that  abundant  provision  was  made, 
as  far  as  the  number  of  clergy  was  concerned,  for  the 
spiritual  wants  of  the  people. 

The  net  incomes  of  the  clergy  amounted  in  the 
aggregate  to  £30,291,  giving  an  average  of  nearly  £300 
a  year.  The  incomes  were,  however,  somewhat 
unevenly  divided.  Thirty-five  of  the  parishes  had 
less  than  £200  a  year,  and  of  these  twenty-one  had 
less  than  £100.  On  the  other  hand,  there  were  eleven 


174  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

parishes  of  over  £600  a  year,  and  of  these  one  had  £800, 
another  £1,200,  and  another  £1,800.  The  income  of  a 
curate  was  generally  about  £75  a  year. 

The  amount  that  had  been  spent  on  the  building 
of  churches  and  glebe-houses,  principally  during  the 
episcopate  of  Bishop  O'Beirne,  was  very  considerable. 
On  the  former  about  £80,000  had  been  expended,  and 
on  the  latter  about  £73,000.  Of  these  payments  for 
glebes,  £29,488  had  been  contributed  by  the  clergy 
themselves,  besides  £24,658  which  had  been  granted 
to  them  on  loan,  and  which  had  to  be  repaid  either  by 
themselves  or  their  successors. 

The  total  population  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath  in 
1834  was  104,059.  Of  these,  25,626  were  church  people, 
77,562  were  Roman  Catholics,  672  were  Presbyterians, 
and  other  dissenting  bodies  numbered  199.  The 
Presbyterians  had  churches  in  Enniskeen,  Laracor,  and 
Mullingar.  There  were  Quaker  meeting  houses  in 
Moate  and  Tullamore.  The  other  Dissenters  nearly  all 
attended  church  service,  and  most  of  them,  especially 
the  Methodists — both  Primitive  and  Wesleyan — called 
themselves  church  people.  The  Primitive  Methodist 
meeting-house  in  the  parish  of  Clara  was  made  use 
of  by  the  incumbent  at  Christmas  and  Easter  for  the 
administration  of  the  Holy  Communion  to  remote 
parishioners.  There  were  Wesleyan  chapels  in 
Kingscourt,  Clara,  Banagher,  Mullingar,  Athlone, 
Tullamore,  Tyrrelspass,  and  Kilkenny  West.  The 
Primitive  Methodists  had  chapels  at  Oldcastle,  Athlone, 
Tullamore,  and  Clara.  The  Baptists  had  chapels  at 
Clara,  Banagher,  Athlone,  and  Rahue  (in  the  parish  of 
Ardnurcher) . 

Among  the  Acts  of  Parliament  which  were  passed 
affecting  the  church,  the  most  important  was  the 
Church  Temporalities  Act,  which  became  law  in  1833. 


THE   TITHE   WAR  175 

By  this  Act  the  number  of  Sees  in  Ireland  was  reduced. 
There  had  been  four  archbishoprics  since  the  time  of 
the  Synod  of  Kells.  Henceforth  there  were  but  two. 
Ten  bishoprics  were  suppressed,  and  the  Sees  united 
to  adjoining  dioceses.  Meath,  however,  was  not 
affected  by  this  change,  as  it  continued  to  retain  its 
separate  existence.  The  money  that  was  saved  by  this 
reduction  of  the  establishment  was  vested  in  the 
Board  of  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners,  who  applied 
it  to  the  building  and  repairing  of  churches,  and  to  the 
providing  of  requisites  for  divine  service,  thus 
abolishing  the  assessments  made  by  vestries  for  these 
purposes.  Under  this  Act,  the  so-called  sinecure 
parishes  were  abolished,  and  the  emoluments  of  churches 
in  which  no  service  had  been  held  for  three  years  prior 
to  the  passing  of  the  Act  were  handed  over  to  the 
commissioners.  The  only  parishes  in  the  Diocese  of 
Meath  which  were  thus  dealt  with  were  Cruisetown, 
Ballygarth,  Staholmac,  Moymet,  and  Innismot,  the 
combined  incomes  amounted  to  £475  a  year,  and  out  of 
this  a  payment  of  £83  a  year  was  made  to  neighbouring 
clergy  for  the  performance  of  the  duty. 

One  other  event  is  worthy  of  mention  in  connection 
with  the  period  of  which  we  are  now  treating,  namely, 
the  establishment  of  the  Board  of  National  Education. 
This  took  place  in  the  year  1831.  Like  nearly  all 
the  measures  passed  at  that  time,  the  concession  was 
made  in  response  to  agitation.  Before  the  establish- 
ment of  the  National  Board,  the  work  of  education  was 
carried  on  by  the  Kildare  Place  Society,  to  which  a 
yearly  grant  was  given  by  the  government.  At  first 
it  was  a  rule  of  the  society  that  the  Scriptures  should 
be  read  daily  by  all  the  children,  and  for  many  years 
no  objection  was  made  to  this,  as  no  comment  was 
permitted,  and  all  attempts  at  proselytism  were 


176  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

prohibited.     After  a  time  the  system  was  attacked  by 
the  Roman  Catholic  clergy,  and  in  1826  their  bishops 
put  forth  a  manifesto,   which  claimed  the  right  of 
directing  the  education  of  their  own  children.     From 
that  time  an  agitation  was  kept  up,  and  in  the  end  the 
National  Board  was  established  as  a  kind  of  compromise. 
It  did  not  give  all  that  the  prelates  had  demanded, 
but  it  established  the  principle  that  the  State  was  to 
concern  itself  only  with  the  secular  instruction  of  the 
children,  leaving  the  clergymen  of  the  different  churches 
to  make  their  own  arrangements  as  to  religious  teaching. 
The  expectation  was  that  in  the  schools  to  be  established, 
all   creeds  would  meet  together  for  the  ordinary  work, 
a  separation   being  made   only  when    the   time  for 
religious  instruction  arrived.       As  the  system  is  now 
carried  out,  this  intention  of  the  founders  has  not  been 
realized.    For  the  most  part  our  National  Schools  are 
altogether    denominational,    though    safeguards    exist 
to  prevent  their  being  used  for  proselytising  purposes. 
In  the  beginning,  however,  something  more  than  this 
was  attempted,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  unite  all 
parties,  in  the  hope  that  the  ultimate  results  would  be 
to  break  down  much  of  the  bigotry  and  sectarianism 
which  unhappily  has  always  prevailed  in  our  land.  The 
system  did  not  commend  itself  to  the  clergy    of  the 
Church  as  a  body.      They  were  strong  evangelicals, 
who  felt  that  they  had  a  duty  to  do  something  for  the 
conversion    of   the    Romanists   by   whom   they   were 
surrounded,  and  there  was  always  the  possibility  that 
a  Roman  Catholic  here  and  there  might  be  attracted 
to  their  schools.        Besides  this,   they  regarded  the 
reading  of  Scripture  as  the  foundation  on  which  all 
education  should  be  based,  and  they  objected  to  any 
school  in  which  the  Bible  was  a  closed  book  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  The  controversy  on  the  subject 


THE   TITHE   WAR  177 

was  long  and  bitter,  and  has  only  died  down  within 
our  own  time.  In  Meath  there  was  less  excitement 
than  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  Her  bishops  and 
some  of  her  leading  clergy  were  found  among  the 
supporters  of  the  new  system,  but  they  were  not  able 
to  carry  with  them  the  general  body  of  the  clergy, 
and  it  is  only  within  a  comparatively  recent  time  that 
the  National  Board  school  has  been  accepted  in  the 
majority  of  our  parishes. 


VOL.   H.  N 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

MIDDLE  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY. 

WHEN  the  anti-tithe  agitation  came  to  an  end,  Meath 
entered  upon  a  period  of  rest  and  quietness  concerning 
which  there  is  comparatively  little  to  record.  We 
must  remember,  however,  that  those  times  which 
provide  the  most  abundant  materials  for  the  historian 
are  by  no  means  the  times  when  the  greatest  progress 
is  being  made.  If,  therefore,  we  have  little  to  say  about 
the  middle  period  of  the  nineteenth  century,  it  is  because 
work  was  being  steadily  carried  on,  and  the  Church  went 
on  her  way,  quietly  fulfilling  the  great  mission  with 
which  she  had  been  entrusted  by  the  Divine  Master. 
Agitation  did  not  come  to  an  end,  but  it  was  diverted 
into  a  more  purely  political  channel,  and  the  Repeal 
of  the  Union  became  the  popular  cry.  Some  of 
O'Connell's  greatest  mass  meetings  were  held  within 
the  bounds  of  the  diocese,  but  their  object  did  not 
concern  itself  in  any  way  with  the  affairs  of  the  Church, 
and  therefore  may  be  left  out  of  view  in  our  present 
enquiry. 

Bishop  Alexander  died  on  the  twenty-first  of 
October,  1840,  after  a  protracted  illness,  having  pre- 
sided over  the  See  of  Meath  for  a  period  of  seventeen 
years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Doctor  Charles  Dickenson, 
who  was  at  that  time  a  well  known  and  popular  Dublin 
clergyman.  His  father  had  come  originally  from 
Cumberland,  but  was  settled  in  the  County  Cork,  where 


MIDDLE    OF   THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  179 

Charles  Dickenson  was  born  in  1792,  being  the  youngest 
but  one,  of  sixteen  children.  At  the  early  age  of  fifteen 
years  he  took  a  scholarship  in  Trinity  College,  and  on 
the  completion  of  his  undergraduate  course  he  began 
to  read  for  a  fellowship.  He  soon  gave  up  the  idea, 
however,  for  he  became  engaged  to  be  married,  and 
taking  Holy  Orders,  he  was  appointed  to  the  curacy 
of  Castleknock.  Shortly  afterwards  he  was  appointed 
to  the  assistant  chaplaincy  of  the  Magdalen  Asylum, 
Dublin,  and  when  the  Reverend  James  Dunne,  in  the 
following  year,  resigned  the  chaplaincy  of  that 
institution,  Dickenson  was  elected  as  his  successor. 
He  became  one  of  the  intimate  friends  of  Archbishop 
Whately,  and  was  appointed  one  of  his  chaplains.  He 
is  said  to  have  been  "  a  man  of  extremely  winning  aspect 
and  address,  and  particularly  accessible  to  the  clergy 
on  all  matters  of  counsel  or  business." 

While  the  See  was  still  vacant  Doctor  Dickenson 
wrote  to  his  sister  a  letter  which  reveals  something 
of  the  character  of  the  man.  He  discusses  the 
appointment  to  Meath,  and  says  :  "  It  is  gossiped 
among  the  Castle  people  that  I  am  to  be  the  person  m 
I  do  not  myself  think  it,  and  I  am  perfectly  calm  about 
it.  It  is  an  office  I  should  fear  to  wish  for,  and  I 
am  sure  the  matter  will  be  controlled  by  the  Highest 
Wisdom.  Many  are  putting  forth  political  interest 
to  secure  the  appointment,  and  I  am  putting  forth 
nothing  at  all.  My  course  has  been  adopted  without 
any  reference  to  my  own  advancement,  and  it  shall 
not  be  changed  either  by  being  appointed  or  over- 
looked." ' 

Doctor  Dickenson's  episcopate  was  very  short. 
He  was  consecrated  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  December, 
1840,  and  he  died  on  the  eleventh  of  July,  1842. 

1  Memoir  of  Bishop  Dickinson. 


l8o  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

The   following   obituary   notice   of   him   appeared   in 
the  Annual  Register  for  1843  : 

July  nth,  1842,  at  his  palace,  Ardbraccan,  in  his  fiftieth 
year,  the  Right  Honourable  and  Right  Reverend  Charles 
Dickenson,  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  a  Privy  Councillor, 
Doctor  Dickenson's  appointment  to  the  See  of  Meath  was  one 
of  the  latest  made  by  the  Whig  Government  in  Ireland. 
It  was  the  spontaneous  and  unsolicited  act  of  Lords  Fortescue 
and  Morpeth,  and  was  applauded  by  men  of  all  parties.  The 
Irish  papers  most  opposed  to  him  in  politics  congratulated  the 
ministers  on  having  made  so  good  a  selection.  The  letters 
subsequently  collected,  and  published  under  the  title  of  "  The 
Bishop,"  were  addressed  to  Doctor  Dickenson  at  the  time  of 
his  appointment.  They  were,  as  they  professed  to  be,  the 
production  of  a  layman,  but  the  materials  were  supplied  by 
one  of  the  highest  authorities  in  the  church.  The  Bishop  of 
Meath  was  a  zealous  advocate  of  National  Education,  and  every 
measure  calculated  to  promote  the  genuine  principles  of  both 
civil  and  religious  freedom.  He  took  a  lively  interest  in  the 
Oxford  Tract  controversy.  He  prepared,  just  before  his 
death,  a  charge  in  which  he  traced  the  coincidence  between 
the  Tractarians  and  the  Transcendentalists.  It  was  to  have 
been  delivered  on  the  very  day  he  died. 

The  vacancy  caused  by  the  early  demise  of  Bishop 
Dickenson  was  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Edward 
Adderly  Stopford,  LL.D.,  Archdeacon  of  Armagh. 
The  following  account  of  him  is  given  by  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Brooke,  in  his  Recollections  of  the  Irish  Church. 
He  says : 

The  Rev.  Edward  Adderly  Stopford,  Archdeacon  of 
Armagh,  was  of  a  noble  family.  His  father  was  son  to  the 
Bishop  of  Cloyne,who  had  married  his  own  first  cousin,  Anne, 
daughter  of  James  Stopford,  first  Earl  of  Courtown.  But 
Edward  Stopford  owed  his  preferment  to  no  influence  of 
position,  nor  to  any  interest  whatsoever  exerted  on  his  behalf, 
but  simply  to  his  being  known  as  a  most  learned  ecclesiastical 
lawyer,  and  well  suited  to  manage  Church  affairs  in  her 
Majesty's  Privy  Council ;  and  this  estimate  of  him  he  after- 
wards fully  justified,  by  his  wise  diligence  in  the  breaking  up 


MIDDLE   OF  THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY        l8l 

of  many  of  the  large  parish  unions  still  remaining  in  the  Irish 
Church  ;  to  this  he  directed  much  of  his  attention  as  a  Privy 
Councillor.  He  had  before  this  proved  himself  a  good  and 
sound  divine  by  his  book  On  the  Sabbath,  a  work  too  good  to 
be  so  little  known,  yet  valued  and  read  by  not  a  few.  He  was 
a  pleasant  and  agreeable  companion,  fond  of  wit  and  literature, 
though  not  having  time  to  cultivate  the  latter. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Protestant  Orphan 
Society  was  founded.  The  Westmeath  Society  was 
established  in  the  year  1840,  in  the  last  year  of  the 
episcopate  of  Bishop  Alexander.  The  Meath  Society 
dates .  from  1844,  and  was  established  under  the 
auspices  of  Bishop  Stopford.  Before  this  time  the 
Dublin  Society  undertook  the  care  of  orphans  sent  up 
from  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  and  there  was,  besides, 
a  small  local  society  at  Athboy.  As  in  other  similar 
societies  through  the  country,  the  boarding-out  system 
was  adopted,  and  with  the  happiest  results.  Close 
on  a  thousand  orphans  have  from  time  to  time  been 
cared  for,  and  with  few  exceptions  have  been  in  every 
way  a  credit  to  the  institution  that  befriended  them. 
We  have,  in  the  present  day,  a  multiplicity  of 
organizations  that  were  not  thought  of  when  the 
the  Protestant  Orphan  Society  was  founded,  but  for 
economy  of  management  and  efficiency  of  administra- 
tion it  is  still  without  a  rival. 

The  resources  of  the  Orphan  Society  were  soon 
taxed  to  the  utmost,  for  times  of  great  destitution  and 
suffering  were  at  hand.  It  is  true  that  Meath  to  a 
large  extent  escaped  the  horrors  of  famine,  which  were 
so  terrible  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  but  she  had 
her  share  in  the  pestilence  by  which  so  many  children 
were  left  fatherless,  and  without  any  provision  for 
their  sustenance.  Then,  too,  began  that  process  of 
depopulation  by  emigration  which  has  continued 
without  intermission  to  the  present  day,  and  gives  to 


182  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

so  many  parishes  the  disheartening  experience  of  a 
dwindling  roll  of  church  membership.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  the  turning  point  will  soon  be  reached, 
and  that  some  new  development,  such  as  the  establish- 
ment of  industries  other  than  those  of  pasturage  and 
agriculture,  may  bring  back  the  people  to  as  fair 
and  fruitful  a  spot  as  is  to  be  found  in  all  God's  earth. 

The  only  ecclesiastical  event  which  we  have  to 
chronicle  in  this  period  is  the  suspension  of  the  Deanery 
of  Clonmacnoise,  which  was  decreed  by  act  of  Council 
on  the  twentieth  of  May,  1847.  A  memorial  was 
immediately  presented  by  the  bishop,  praying  that 
such  suspension  should  be  removed,  and  in  answer  to 
this  petition  the  Council  acceded  to  the  request, 
restoring  the  dignity  before  the  close  of  the  same  year. 
But  the  emoluments  of  the  office  were  no  longer  paid 
to  the  dean.  They  were  transferred  to  the  Ecclesiastical 
Commissioners,  and  the  deanery  continued  to  be  an 
unpaid  office  until  the  year  1882,  when  the  synod, 
on  the  recommendation  of  the  diocesan  council,  agreed 
to  award  a  salary  of  £100  a  year  to  the  holder  of  that 
dignity. 

Doctor  Brooke,  whose  Recollections  have  been 
already  quoted,  gives  some  interesting  details  about 
several  of  the  clergy  who  served  under  Bishop  Stopford. 
The  extract  is  somewhat  long,  but  it  will  be  interesting 
to  the  reader  : 

At  the  bishop's  house  of  Ardbraccan  I  twice  met  Miss 
Maria  Edgeworth,  my  father's  and  my  grandfather's  friend, 
and  here,  too,  I  met  his  clergy,  the  most  remarkable  of  whom 
was  Edward  A.  Stopford,  his  second  son,  and  the  archdeacon 
of  the  diocese.  He,  indeed,  was  no  common  man  ;  possessing 
an  intellect  keen  even  to  subtility,  and  capable  of  meeting 
and  solving  almost  any  intellectual  difficulty;  he  yet  exhibited 
in  his  manner  and  address  the  kindness  and  simplicity  of  a 
Christian  gentleman,  and  was  ever  accessible  for  counsel, 


MIDDLE    OF   THE    NINETEENTH   CENTURY  183 

support,  or  help,  to  every^clergyman  of  his  father's  large 
diocese.  Like  the  bishop,  deeply  read  in  black-letter  lore 
and  Church  law,  he  was  on  these  matters,  an  oracle  to  the 
Church,  only,  unlike  that  of  Delphi,  he  never  returned 
doubtful  answers. 

Inscius  spargcre  voces  ambiguas. 

He  had,  above  any  man  I  ever  met,  the  power  of  putting 
much  matter  into  small  space,  and  that  clearly  and  intelligently  ; 
he  was  singularly  happy  in  meeting  and  conquering  infidelity 
in  individual  cases.  He  was  a  gentle,  but  most  powerful 
controversialist,  and  his  papers  on  Romish  error  in  The  Catholic 
Layman,  as  I  have  said  before,  are  as  masterly  as  they  are 
incontrovertible. 

Added  to  these  qualities,  he  was  a  good  mechanic,  he  could 
make  anything  out  of  wood  or  iron  ;  had  built  steam  carriages, 
and  bound  his  own  folios  in  a  workmanlike  fashion,  which 
a  London  bookseller  would  not  disown. 

I  knew  him  well  for  forty  years,  and  knew  him  best  and 
loved  him  most  when  I  was  permitted  to  minister  to  him  as 
a  dying  man  ;  then  it  was  he  realized  the  humbling  con- 
victions, yet  exalting  comforts,  of  that  Gospel  he  had  ever 
preached.  He  said,  "  The  fifty-first  Psalm  is  my  vadc  mecum," 
and  he  died  with  a  meek  faith  in  a  loving  and  redeeming 
Saviour. 

In  Meath  there  had  been  a  body  of  excellent  clergymen, 
some  still  living,  among  whom  is  my  valued  friend  and  fellow- 
student  in  old  Trinity,  Robert  Hedges  Dunne,  one  whose  long 
consistency  in  a  sound  Christian  course  has  been  as  steadfast 
as  his  own  stalwart  form  and  stout  heart.  There  is  also  John 
F.  Battersby,  whose  living  is  near  Mullingar,  a  man  who 
often  taught  my  people  from  my  Kingstown  pulpit  ;  Doctor 
Walshe,  one  whose  physical  and  professional  vigour  seems 
to  grow  with  his  advance  of  years  ;  and  others  whom  I  knew 
less,  but  equally  esteemed. 

Among  those  whom  we  all  had  to  grieve  for,  was  the  late 
John  Lever,  Rector  of  Tullamore.  He  was  brother  to  Charles 
Lever — the  Lorrequer  of  light  literature — and  had  much  of 
the  fraternal  genius  ;  short  in  stature,  and  ruddy  in  com- 
plexion like  King  David  ;  he  had  quick  sparkling  eyes,  and  a 
protruding  forehead  actually  knobbed  with  bumps  of  in- 
tellectuality. Like  his  brother,  whom  I  also  knew  well,  he 
was  animated  in  manner  and  rapid  in  speech  ;  he  was  as  a 


184  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

preacher  thoughtfully  evangelical,  using  no  manuscript  or 
note,  and  his  discourses  were  solid,  grave,  and  teaching,  and 
such  as  one  would  not  expect  to  hear  from  one  so  particularly 
lively  in  manner.  Joseph  Daly,  Rector  of  Ferbane,  was  a 
remarkable  minister  ;  he  has  been  greeted  at  the  clerical 
meetings,  when  the  clergy  sat  together  over  their  Bibles,  as 
the  "  Diocesan  Concordance."  A  Latin  Father  has  said, 
Bonus  textuarius,  bonus  theologus,  and  this  could  well  apply 
to  Daly,  for  his  extemporary  sermons  were  full  of  Scripture, 
not  only  accurately  quoted,  but  also  the  chapter  and  verse 
faithfully  rendered,  a  wonderful  act  of  a  powerful  abstract 
memory.  One  more  I  must  speak  of,  a  loved  friend,  the 
Reverend  Charles  Bayly,  who  died  as  Vicar  of  Trim  ;  he  was 
a  singularly  popular  man  with  clergy  as  well  as  laity,  and 
perhaps  had  more  culture  and  reading  than  most  evangelical 
ministers — the  weak  point  in  the  body  being  more  or  less 
an  inclination  to  ignore  literature  and  despise  art,  forgetting 
that  these  are  the  good  Lord's  gifts  to  refine  and  adorn  our 
poor  fallen  nature,  and,  like  His  common  bestowments  of 
music  and  of  sunlight,  to  refresh  and  cheer  us  in  our  pilgrimage 
along  the  wastes  of  life. 

Nor  must  I  forget  my  dear  friend  and  kinsman,  the 
Reverend  Coote  Charles  Mulloy,  who  for  many  years  ministered 
in  Meath.  Esteemed  a  good  clergyman,  possessing  a  most 
accomplished  mind,  and  a  spirit  much  like  the  blessed  Saint 
John's  for  gentleness  and  forethought ;  and  yet  this  person, 
perhaps  the  meekest  man  in  the  diocese,  when  historically 
considered,  presents  a  curious  anomaly.  For  he  is  the 
representative  of  the  O 'Mulloy  chieftaincy,  one  of  the  oldest, 
if  not  the  oldest,  Milesian  families  in  Ireland.  He  is  also 
Standard  Bearer  to  the  King  of  Ireland,  by  royal  appointment 
of  an  ancestor  in  1680.  His  ancient  Celtic  motto  (which  the 
good  man  has  suppressed)  breathes  of  rapine  and  slaughter, 
and  he  can  look  back  along  his  line  of  twelve  hundred  years 
to  a  pedigree  of  fighting  warriors.  Yet  this  gentlest  of  men 
and  of  ministers  has  been  all  his  life  preaching  nothing  but  the 
gospel  of  peace  and  of  love,  and  exemplifying  the  same  in 
his  person,  his  parish,  and  his  household.  Mr.  Mulloy  married 
the  eldest  daughter  of  Doctor  Stopford,  Bishop  of  Meath  ; 
another  daughter,  a  most  intellectual  and  accomplished  lady, 
is  the  wife  of  Richard  Nugent,  Esq.,  of  London.  Mrs.  Nugent, 
when  Miss  Stopford,  exerted  herself  during  the  Irish  famine 
in  1845,  and  was  eulogized  for  the  same  by  name  in  an  eloquent 


MIDDLE   OF   THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  185 

speech  made  by   Lord  George   Bentinck   in    the    House    of 
Commons. 

The  colloquial  style  of  this  extract  does  not  detract 
from  the  vividness  of  the  portraiture,  and  we  may 
fairly  gather  from  it  that  the  clergy  of  Meath  in  the 
forties  and  fifties  were  men  of  culture  and  piety  ;  some 
of  them  good  preachers  and  able  scholars,  and  devoted 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry  which  they  had  undertaken. 
It  may  be  well  to  add  that  the  Richard  Nugent  to 
whom  Doctor  Brooke  refers,  established  the  "  Irish 
Church  Sustentation  Fund  "  in  London,  and  acted  as 
Honorary  Secretary  of  that  fund  until  his  death.  His 
place  is  now  efficiently  filled  by  his  daughters,  grand- 
daughters of  Bishop  Stopford,  and  by  their  exertions 
a  very  substantial  sum  is  contributed  every  year  for 
the  help  of  poor  and  struggling  parishes  in  the  West 
of  Ireland. 

Bishop  Stopford  died  on  the  seventeenth  of 
September,  1849.  His  successor  was  not  appointed 
until  September  in  the  following  year.  The  choice 
of  the  government  this  time  fell  on  Thomas  Stuart 
Townsend,  Dean  of  Waterford.  He  survived  his 
elevation  for  only  twelve  months,  and  shortly  before 
his  death  had  gone  abroad  for  the  benefit  of  his  health. 
It  may,  therefore,  be  said  of  him  that  he  had  scarcely 
taken  possession  of  his  See  before  he  was  called  away. 
The  following  obituary  of  him  appeared  in  the  Annual 
Register  for  1852  : 

September  i6th,  1851.  At  Malaga,  aged  fifty-one,  the 
Most  Reverend  and  Right  Honourable  Thomas  Stuart  Town- 
send,  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  a  Privy  Councillor  of  Ireland, 
a  Commissioner  of  National  Education,  and  an  Ecclesiastical 
Commissioner  for  Ireland  ;  eldest  son  of  Thomas  Townsend, 
Esq.,  B.L.,  who  was  M.P.,  for  Belturbet  in  the  last  Irish 
Parliament.  Educated  at  Winchester  and  at  T.C.D.  ;  Rector 


l86  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

of  Burnchurch,  County  Kilkenny.  In  acknowledgment  of 
his  strenuous  support  of  the  National  Education  scheme, 
and  generally  of  the  policy  of  the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  he  was 
promoted  to  the  Deanery  of  Lismore  in  October,  1849  ;  to  that 
of  Waterford  in  August,  1850  ;  and  in  September  following 
to  the  Sec  of  Meath.  A  Roman  Catholic  journal  says  :  "  The 
Bishop  of  Meath  was  the  consistent,  disinterested,  and  warm 
advocate  of  the  National  School  system  of  education.  His 
lordship's  advocacy  was  not  induced  by  an  anxiety  to  create 
a  self  interest,  or  to  establish  a  foundation  for  government 
patronage,  but  with  a  view  to  the  amelioration  of  the  rising 
classes  of  his  fellow  countrymen.  He  laboured  from  conviction, 
and  his  labours  were  attended  with  success.  Prior  to  Doctor 
Townsend's  promotion  to  the  See  of  Meath,  he  discharged  the 
duties  of  a  pastor  with  a  zeal,  kindness,  and  consideration 
adequate  to  the  responsible  position  he  occupied.  Kind  and 
benevolent  to  the  needy,  courteous  and  affable  to  all  who  came 
within  the  sphere  of  his  sacred  duties,  he  departed  this  life 
after  arriving  at  the  height  of  his  calling  as  a  minister  of  God." 
The  bishop  married  in  1828  the  second  daughter  of  Charles 
Spread,  Esq.,  of  Landsdowne  Lodge,  County  Kerry,  and  has 
left  a  numerous  family. 

Bishop  Townsend  was  succeeded  in  the  following 
year  by  Doctor  Joseph  Henderson  Singer.  He  was 
the  son  of  James  Singer,  Esq.,  Deputy  Commissary 
General  to  the  Forces  in  Ireland,  and  was  born  in 
1786.  He  had  a  brilliant  career  in  Trinity  College, 
where  he  took  his  M.A.  degree  in  1810,  and  in  the  same 
year  he  gained  a  fellowship.  He  was  appointed 
Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  1850,  became  Arch- 
deacon of  Raphoe  in  1851,  and  was  consecrated  to  the 
See  of  Meath  in  1852.  Brooke  says  of  him  that  he 
"  was  a  man  of  universal  and  accurate  information, 
possessing  very  polished  manners,  and  a  kind  and 
winning  address.  He  was  a  prodigious  reader,  not 
even  despising  the  lighter  literature  of  the  day,  which 
he  swallowed,  but  probably  did  not  care  to  digest ; 
a  steady  preacher  of  evangelical  truth,  and  a  bold 


MIDDLE   OF   THE    NINETEENTH   CENTURY         187 

upholder  of  Scriptural  education."  This  last  sentence 
implies  that  he  supported  the  Church  Education  Society, 
in  opposition  to  the  National  Board.  In  the  appoint- 
ments of  Bishops  Dickenson,  Stopford,  and  Townsend, 
much  weight  was  given  to  the  fact  that,  in  opposition 
to  the  great  body  of  the  clergy,  they  supported  the 
National  Board.  If  the  Whig  ministry  had  remained 
in  power,  doubtless  the  same  considerations  would 
have  swayed  them  in  appointing  to  the  vacant  See, 
but  just  at  this  juncture  there  was  a  change  of  ministry 
and  it  was  under  the  auspices  of  the  Conservatives 
that  he  was  chosen  to  be  the  new  bishop. 

This  controversy  on  the  subject  of  education 
constituted,  one  might  say,  the  one  topic  for  discussion 
just  at  this  time.  On  the  one  side  was  a  small  but 
influential  party  which  was  in  favour  of  the  govern- 
ment plan.  On  the  other  side  was  the  great  bulk 
alike  of  clergy  and  laity,  who  saw  in  the  National  Board 
system  a  concession  to  Roman  Catholicism,  and 
disliked  it  accordingly.  In  1845  nine  of  the  bishops 
issued  a  manifesto,  which  set  forth  the  position  taken 
by  the  supporters  of  the  Church  Education  Society, 
which  was  a  counter  organization,  intended  to  compete 
with  the  State  schools.  In  it  their  lordships  say  : 

When  the  government  first  announced  its  determination 
that  this  system  should  supersede  those  to  which  the  State  had 
before  given  support,  it  was  generally  opposed  by  the  clergy 
and  laity  of  our  Church.  The  grounds  on  which  this  opposition 
was  made  to  rest  were  various.  The  undue  prominence  given 
to  secular,  to  the  depreciation  of  religious  instruction — the 
disregard  shown  to  the  position  and  claims  of  the  clergy  of  the 
Established  Church,  tending  to  throw  the  direction  of  national 
education  into  the  hands  of  the  priesthood  of  the  Church  of 
Rome — and  other  defects  and  evils,  both  of  the  system  itself 
and  of  the  machinery  by  which  it  was  to  be  worked,  were  urged 
as  grave  objections  against  the  proposed  plan  of  education. 
While  its  opponents  differed  as  to  the  importance  which  was 


188          HISTORY  OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

to  be  assigned  to  some  of  these  objections,  there  was  one  upon 
the  paramount  importance  of  which  all  were  agreed.  The  rule 
by  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  to  be  excluded  from  the 
schools  during  the  hours  of  general  instruction,  was  treated 
by  all  as  so  fundamentally  objectionable,  that  while  this 
should  continue  to  be  the  principle  of  the  system,  they  could 
not  conscientiously  connect  their  schools  with  it,  even  though 
all  the  other  grounds  of  opposition  were  taken  away. 

In  the  former  societies  for  the  education  of  the  poor,  with 
which  the  clergy  were  connected,  they  had,  in  accommodation 
to  the  unhappy  divisions  of  the  country,  consented  to  forbear 
from  any  attempt  to  teach  the  formularies  of  our  Church  to 
the  children  of  dissenters,  Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic,  who 
attended  the  schools  of  which  they  had  the  superintendence. 
But  they  did  not  judge  themselves  at  liberty  so  to  deal  with 
the  Word  of  God.  There  was  in  every  school  a  Bible  class, 
and  in  every  school  to  read  the  Bible  was  a  part  of  the  daily 
business  ;  and  all  the  children  in  attendance,  of  whatever 
religious  communion,  took  their  places  in  this  class,  as  soon 
as"  their  proficiency  enabled  them  to  profit  by  the  reading  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  But  the  distinction  of  the  new  system 
was,  that  it  placed  the  Bible  under  the  same  rule  with  books  of 
peculiar  instruction  in  religion,  and  excluded  it  with  them 
from  the  hours  of  general  education.  And,  moreover,  this  great 
change  was  avowedly  made  as  a  concession  to  the  unlawful 
authority  by  which  the  Church  of  Rome  withholds  the  Holy 
Scriptures  from  its  members. 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  controversy  when  Doctor 
Singer  became  Bishop  of  Meath.  Archdeacon  Stopford 
was  at  this  time,  in  many  ways,  the  leading  clergyman 
in  the  diocese,  and  was,  like  his  father  the  bishop, 
a  warm  supporter  of  the  National  Board.  He  had 
established  a  National  School  in  his  own  parish  of  Kells, 
but  he  had  not  been  able  to  induce  many  of  the  clergy 
to  follow  his  example.  For  the  most  part  the  parish 
schoolmasters  combined  with  their  duties  those  of 
parish  clerk,  and  in  this  double  capacity  received 
salaries  which  seldom  exceeded  twenty  pounds  a  year. 
The  schools  were  small,  and  there  was  no  scheme  of 
efficient  inspection.  In  1856  he  put  forth  a  proposal 


MIDDLE   OF   THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY          189 

which  was  intended  to  unite  the  discordant  elements. 
He  suggested  that  the  National  Board  should  take 
over  all  these  schools,  allowing  them  to  retain  their 
denominational  character,  but  only  concerning  itself 
with  the  secular  instruction  which  they  provided. 
As  a  necessary  corollary  to  this,  he  advocated  that  the 
Christian  Brothers'  schools  should  also  be  included.2 
For  the  time,  his  suggestions  fell  on  deaf  ears  ;  but 
in  the  end  the  lines  which  he  sketched  out  were 
those  on  which  the  education  difficulty  was  solved. 

Another  controversy  which  attracted  an  amount 
of  attention  scarcely  intelligible  to  us  in  the  present 
day  was  about  the  use  of  the  black  gown  in  the  pulpit. 
As  far  as  our  records  inform  us,  it  would  seem  that 
the  gown  as  a  preaching  vestment  only  appeared  in 
Meath  in  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
probably  under  the  influence  of  Bishop  O'Beirne, 
though  it  is  in  the  episcopate  of  his  successor  that  we 
have  the  first  mention  of  it.  The  gown  may  have 
been  in  use  before  that  time,  but  if  so,  no  record  has 
been  preserved.  During  the  time  of  the  Tractarian 
movement  in  England,  the  use  of  the  surplice  in  the 
pulpit  began  to  be  the  badge  of  a  party.  In  Ireland, 
however,  it  was  never  altogether  regarded  in  that 
way.  In  Meath  an  extraordinary  use  was  introduced 
by  Bishop  Stopford,  and  continued  in  some  places  until 
a  period  within  living  memory.  He  advised  those 
who  wished  to  preach  in  a  black  gown  to  wear  it  under 
the  surplice.  When  the  time  for  the  sermon  came, 
the  clergyman  slipped  off  the  outer  vestment,  without 
retiring  to  the  vestry,  making  the  change,  as  the  bishop 
puts  it,  "  unobservedly  and  speedily." 

Shortly  after  Bishop   Singer's  appointment   there 
were  efforts  made  in  some  parts  of  the  diocese  to 

a  MS.    in  Diocesan  Registry. 


HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

reach  the  Roman  Catholics,  by  means  of  Scripture 
readers  and  colporteurs.  It  does  not  appear  whether 
this  was  done  under  episcopal  sanction,  nor,  indeed, 
can  we  say  if  the  bishop  was  consulted  on  the  subject. 
The  leading  spirit  seems  to  have  been  Archdeacon 
Stopford,  who  was  a  warm  supporter  of  the  Irish 
Church  Missions,  and  himself  a  very  able  contro- 
versialist. In  his  own  parish  he  introduced  three 
readers,  who  went  about  selling  Douay  Bibles,  and 
endeavouring  to  enter  into  religious  conversation 
with  the  people.  The  immediate  result  was  not  very 
happy,  as  there  was  some  rioting,  and  the  whole  place 
was  for  a  time  in  the  greatest  ferment.  Some  of  the 
ringleaders  soon  found  themselves  in  prison,  and  this, 
it  need  hardly  be  said,  did  not  tend  to  promote  peace. 
Nevertheless  it  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Meath  Colportage  Society,  which  continued  a  useful 
though  not  very  ostentatious  work  until  it  was  merged 
in  a  larger  organization  which  embraces  the  whole  of 
Ireland.  The  Roman  Catholics,  on  their  part,  though 
they  met  Protestant  controversialists  with  "  stones 
and  mud  and  shouts  and  filthy  songs,"  did  not  hesitate 
to  introduce  preachers  who  attacked  the  doctrines  of 
the  Church,  and  argued  against  the  principles  of  the 
Reformation.  It  tells  something  of  the  intrepidity 
and  vigour  of  Archdeacon  Stopford,  to  know  that  on 
that  occasion  he  himself  attended  the  services  at  which 
these  missioners  preached.  He  went  in  full  canonicals, 
sat  in  the  foremost  seat,  and  made  it  known  that  he 
was  ready  to  present  the  other  side  of  the  argument 
in  his  own  church.  It  is  said  that  a  number  of  the 
leading  Roman  Catholics  of  the  town  accepted  his 
invitation,  though  history  does  not  relate  that  any  of 
them  went  away  convinced. 

These  controversial  methods  have    grown  out  of 


MIDDLE  OF  THE  NINETEENTH   CENTURY 

favour  in  our  days,  and  perhaps  we  are  right  in  thinking 
that  they  consisted  too  much  in  destructive  criticism, 
and  that  those  who  spent  their  energies  in  the  confuting 
of  error  were  apt  to  present  a  mere  negative  creed, 
and  in  this  made  a  great  mistake.  At  the  same  time 
we  should  not  forget  that  this  controversy,  and  the 
desire  that  it  showed  of  reaching  the  masses  around, 
was  a  sign  of  life  and  vigour  ;  and  we  do  well  to  re- 
member that  it  is  true  of  churches  as  it  is  of  individuals, 
that  it  is  not  those  who  make  the  fewest  mistakes 
who  do  the  most  good. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  fifties  there  occurred 
in  the  north  of  Ireland  a  remarkable  religious  movement, 
known  as  the  "  Great  Revival."  It  was  attended 
with  great  excitement  and  many  extravagances.  As 
far  as  can  be  ascertained  none  of  these  extravagant 
developments  reached  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  but  the 
wave  of  religious  fervour  was  felt,  and  alike  among 
clergy  and  laity  there  was  an  earnestness  and  devotion 
that  spoke  of  a  real  work  of  God.  Bishop  Singer 
himself  took  the  lead  in  the  movement,  and  established 
a  prayer-meeting  at  his  Palace  at  Ardbraccan  on 
Friday  afternoons,  and  again  at  seven  in  the  evening. 
Others  of  the  clergy  followed  the  lead  that  was  thus 
given.  Archdeacon  Stopford  had  meetings  in  his 
own  house,  as  well  as  special  services  in  the  church. 
The  bishop's  son,  the  Reverend  Aemelius  Singer,  had 
a  weekly  prayer-meeting  at  Stackallen.  Similar 
meetings  were  held  by  the  Reverend  Henry  Brougham 
at  Moynalty,  the  Reverend  Frederick  Trench  at 
Newtown,  and  by  many  other  clergymen  in  the  Diocese 
of  Meath. 

Bishop  Singer  died  on  the  nineteenth  of  July,  1866, 
in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  fourteenth 
year  of  his  episcopate.  On  the  twentieth  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

October  following,  Samuel  Butcher,  D.D.,  Regius 
Professor  of  Divinity,  T.C.D.,  was  consecrated  in  the 
College  Chapel  to  the  vacant  See.  The  sermon  on 
that  occasion  was  preached  by  the  Reverend  Doctor 
Salmon.  The  episcopate  of  the  new  bishop  was 
destined  to  be  a  time  of  trial  and  difficulty.  Now 
that  it  has  passed  into  history  we  may  thankfully 
acknowledge  that  it  was  also  a  time  when  devotion 
to  the  Church  was  conspicuously  manifested.  As  for 
the  bishop,  he  displayed  statesmanlike  qualities  of 
which  we  might  never  have  known  if  the  occasion 
had  not  called  them  forth ;  and  the  people  of  whom 
he  had  the  oversight  gathered  loyally  around  him, 
strengthening  his  hands,  and  all  working  together 
enthusiastically  to  ensure  the  welfare  of  the  Church 
under  the  new  conditions  in  which  she  was  soon  to  be 
placed. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE  EVE  OF  DISESTABLISHMENT. 

THE  census  of  1861  was  the  first  which  gave  accurate 
information  as  to  the  religious  profession  of  the  people 
of  Ireland.  An  attempt  had  been  made  in  1834  to 
give  the  relative  numbers  of  the  different  churches, 
but  it  was  imperfectly  carried  out,  while  in  the  census 
of  1841,  and  again  in  that  of  1851,  no  return  was  given 
of  religious  beliefs.  When  the  results  of  the  1861 
census  were  published,  it  appeared  that  out  of  a 
population  of  5,798,967,  there  were  4,505,265  Roman 
Catholics,  and  therefore  that  this  church  claimed  the 
great  majority  of  the  people.  The  Established  Church 
numbered  only  693,357,  and  the  Presbyterians  523,291, 
the  remainder  being  made  up  of  various  dissenting 
bodies  and  Jews.  Almost  immediately  an  agitation 
was  set  on  foot  for  the  Disestablishment  of  the  Church, 
the  argument  naturally  being  that  it  embraced  within 
its  fold  only  a  small  section  of  the  community.  The 
movement,  however,  did  not  rouse  much  enthusiasm 
in  Ireland,  and  in  connection  with  it  there  were  none 
of  those  stirring  scenes  and  popular  demonstrations 
which  characterized  the  anti-tithe  agitation,  the 
demand  for  Catholic  emancipation,  or  the  movement 
for  the  repeal  of  the  Union.  The  general  opinion, 
therefore,  was  that  the  time  was  far  distant  when  it 
would  come  within  the  sphere  of  practical  politics. 
Those  were  the  days  of  the  Fenian  organization,  and 
the  agitators  who  favoured  more  peaceful  methods 
were  regarded  as  half-hearted  by  the  populace.  Perhaps 

VOL.    II.  O 


IQ4  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

that  was  one  reason  why  the  disendowment  of  the 
Church  never  became  a  great  party  cry  in  Ireland  ; 
and  of  course  mother  reason  was  that  while  the  Church 
establishment  remained  it  furnished  a  most  convenient 
lever  when  concessions  for  the  Roman  Catholics  had 
to  be  extorted  from  the  British  Parliament. 

The  movement  for  the  disendowment  of  the  Church 
came  almost  entirely  from  England.  The  two  parties 
in  the  State  were  at  that  time  so  evenly  balanced, 
that  neither  had  a  working  majority.  Both  parties 
were  also  very  much  disorganized,  and  this  was 
especially  the  case  with  the  Radicals,  who  were  eagerly 
looking  round  for  a  policy  which  would  unite  all  the 
heterogeneous  elements  of  which  that  body  was 
composed.  The  ebullition  of  disaffection  in  Ireland 
seemed  to  show  that  some  remedial  legislation  was 
sorely  needed,  and  this  conclusion  was  brought  home 
to  the  English  people  in  an  unexpected  way  by  outrages 
perpetrated  in  their  very  midst.  The  Liberation 
Society  saw  in  the  crisis  an  opportunity  for  advancing 
their  own  principles,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing 
a  rallying  cry  for  the  Liberal  party.  No  one  knew 
better  than  Mr.  Gladstone  how  to  use  an  opportunity 
such  as  this,  and  he  was  not  slow  to  avail  himself  of  it. 
In  the  course  of  a  debate,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  J.  F. 
Maguire  to  appoint  a  committee  to  consider  the 
condition  of  Ireland,  Mr.  Gladstone  announced  that  he 
was  opposed  to  the  continuance  of  the  Church  establish- 
ment in  Ireland,  and  shortly  afterwards  he  introduced 
a  series  of  resolutions  on  the  subject,  when  he  obtained 
such  majorities  that  the  Conservative  ministry  was 
forced  to  resign. 

How  unexpected  all  this  was,  is  shown  from  the  fact 
that  at  the  very  time  when  these  resolutions  were  being 
discussed,  a  Royal  Commission  was  preparing  its 


THE    EVE    OF   DISESTABLISHMENT 

report  on  the  state  of  the  Church,  with  the  idea  of 
suggesting  legislation  which  would  provide  for  a  better 
disposal  of  its  revenues.  This  Commission  had  been 
appointed  in  1867,  and  was  directed  to  "  enquire  and 
report  as  to  the  several  archbishoprics,  bishoprics, 
dignities  and  benefices,  and  as  to  the  revenues  belonging 
to  the  same  ;  and  also  as  to  the  several  united  and 
separate  parishes  and  parochial  districts  in  Ireland, 
and  the  number  of  members  of  the  Established  Church 
of  England  and  Ireland  inhabiting  them  ;  and  also 
as  to  the  property  vested  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Com- 
missioners for  Ireland,  and  the  administration  of  the 
same  ;  and  to  enquire  and  report  whether  alterations 
and  improvements  should  be  made  in  the  management, 
administration,  and  distribution  of  the  revenues  and 
property,  or  in  the  state  and  condition  of  the  several 
offices,  dignities,  corporations,  and  benefices."  * 

The  report  which  this  Commission  presented,  though 
Mr.  Gladstone's  legislation  had  rendered  it  obsolete 
before  it  was  issued,  is  interesting  and  instructive, 
both  from  the  information  which  it  gives,  and  from 
the  recommendations  which  it  makes.  It  contains 
a  detailed  account  of  each  diocese,  given  parish  by 
parish,  and  sets  down  the  church  population,  extent,  and 
income,  together  with  the  amount  of  the  various  out- 
goings, so  that  the  net  revenue  in  each  case  is  accurately 
stated.  The  following  summary,  published  in  the 
appendix  to  the  report,  gives  the  statistics  for  Meath, 
as  summarized  by  Archdeacon  Stopford : 

From  a  Map  and  Statement  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 
carefully  prepared  by  me  from  the  Ordnance  Survey,  Stack- 
poole's  Returns,  and  the  Diocesan  Registry,  it  appears — 

(i)  That  the  Diocese  of  Meath  contains  about  1,186,840 
statute  acres,  equal  to  about  1,855  square  miles. 

1  Report  of  the  Established  Church  (Ireland)  Commission,   1868. 


196  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

(2)  That  104  benefices  are  filled. 

(3)  That  the  net  income  of  these  benefices,  omitting  the 
lands  of  the  archdeaconry,  is  £24,051  2s.  7d. 

(4)  That  the  number  of  the  members  of  the  Church  is 
16,289.     Hence  it  follows  that — 

(a)  The  average  area  of   a  benefice  is   eighteen   square 
miles. 

(b)  The  average  net  income  is  about  £231  55. 

(c)  The  average  church  population  is  over  156. 
Considering  that  the  average  of  a  rural  parish  in  England 

is  five  square  miles  ;  the  average  population  387  ;  and  of 
income,  £285  ;  and  considering  the  great  increase  of  labour 
and  expense  incurred  in  visiting  a  congregation  scattered  over 
a  district  three  and  a  half  times  as  large,  the  comparison  is  not 
unfavourable. 

But  averages  tend  to  conceal  evils,  and  leave  opens  for 
attack  ;  and  the  Diocese  of  Meath  does  greatly  need  revision 
of  its  arrangement. 

He  goes  on  to  say  that  the  area  of  benefices  in  Meath 
varies  from  two  and  a  half  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  square  miles,  adding,   "  Our  present  system  is 
vicious  alike  in  the  size  and  boundaries  of  parishes  ; 
and  most  of  what  are  called  the  abuses  in  the  Church 
arise  from  defect  in  the  remedy  which  the  law  has 
provided."      The  Church  population,  he  says,  varies 
from  five  in  one  parish  to  seven  hundred  and  eight 
in  another.       Six    benefices  have  less  than  twenty 
church  members  ;  fourteen  others  have  less  than  fifty. 
The  incomes  of  the  benefices  vary  from  £19  los.  to 
£996  175.  9d.       Fifteen  are  under  £100.       He  then 
makes  various  proposals  for  re-arrangement,  suggesting 
that  the  number  of  benefices  should  be  reduced  to 
eighty-one,  and  providing  for  them  incomes  that  vary 
from  £200  to  £576. 

The  commissioners  recommended  some  very  drastic 
changes,  and  amongst  their  proposals  was  the  sup- 
pression of  Meath  as  a  distinct  See.  They  suggested 
that  it  should  be  united  to  Dublin,  and  that  Dublin  itself 


THE   EVE  OF   DISESTABLISHMENT 

should  no  longer  be  an  archbishopric — at  least,  a 
majority  of  the  Commission  thought  so — but,  in 
recognition  of  its  former  position,  and  because  the 
capital  of  the  country  was  situated  within  its  bounds, 
they  proposed  that  it  should  have  precedence  over 
every  other  bishopric  in  Ireland.  However,  as  we 
have  seen,  before  the  report  was  presented  to 
Parliament,  it  had  been  decreed  that  an  appeal  must 
be  made  to  the  electorate  to  decide  whether  the  con- 
nection between  Church  and  State  in  Ireland  was 
any  longer  to  be  preserved. 

On  the  twenty-third  of  March,  1868,  Mr.  Gladstone 
introduced  his  resolutions  in  favour  of  disendowment, 
and  the  debate  on  these  resolutions  began  a  week 
later.  The  first  of  them  was  carried  on  the  first  of 
May,  and  four  days  later  Mr.  Disraeli  announced  the 
intention  of  the  government  to  resign  and  appeal  to  the 
country.  The  dissolution  did  not,  however,  take 
place  until  the  eleventh  of  November  following.  Every 
exertion  was  made  to  avert  the  disaster,  but  in  vain. 
On  the  second  of  December  Mr.  Gladstone  was 
entrusted  with  the  seals  of  office,  and  had  at  his  back 
a  majority  of  the  House  of  Commons,  pledged  to  assist 
him  in  the  work  of  destruction.  He  lost  no  time 
in  introducing  his  Bill.  It  was  presented  to  the  House 
on  the  first  of  March,  1869. 

There  was  a  rumour  at  the  time  that  Archdeacon 
Stopford  helped  Mr.  Gladstone  in  the  drafting  of  the 
Bill,  and  considerable  indignation  was  expressed  at 
what  was  considered  an  act  of  perfidy  on  the  part  of  the 
Archdeacon  of  Meath.  The  truth,  however,  was 
merely  that  the  archdeacon  made  some  suggestions 
to  Mr.  Gladstone,  which  that  statesman  discussed 
with  him,  and  in  some  measure  adopted,  the  object 


ig8  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

being  to  make  the  Bill  as  little  detrimental  as  possible  to 
the  interests  of  the  Church.  The  following  letter, 
addressed  by  the  archdeacon  to  the  Daily  Express, 
explains  the  part  he  took  in  this  matter  : 

To  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  Daily  Express, 

SIR, — I  have  seen  in  your  paper  of  this  date  that  a  rumour 
has  been  in  circulation  that  the  government  had  made 
overtures  to  me  to  assist  them  in  the  preparation  of  a  Hill  for 
the  disestablishment  and  disendowment  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland. 

I  beg  to  say  in  reply,  that  the  government  has  not  made 
any  overtures  to  me  on  this  or  on  any  other  subject. 

Opposed  on  principle,  as  I  am,  to  disestablishment,  I  yet 
see  that  the  battle  will  be  fought  on  a  Bill.  I  desire  to  see  the 
issue  taken  on  intelligible  grounds.  I  think  a  party  fight  on 
mere  mistakes  would  not  serve  the  interests  of  the  Church. 
Knowing  that  other  parties  are  working  hard  to  have  the  Bill 
drawn  as  hostile  as  possible  to  the  future  efficiency  of  the 
Church,  and  knowing  too  that  nothing  is  being  done  on  our 
side  to  counteract  them,  I  have  made  representations  to  the 
government  that  they  should  abstain  from  needless  injury 
to  the  Church.  Of  the  result,  I,  of  course,  know  nothing. 
But  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  wise  and  able 
men,  who  do  not  see  their  way  to  join  with  me  at  present,  are 
yet  disposed  to  hope  that  even  from  such  humble  efforts  some 
good  may  arise  in  the  future. 

I  believe  that  Mr.  Gladstone  is  sincerely  desirous  to  do  th° 
Church  as  little  injury,  and  to  leave  it  as  efficient  for  spiritual 
work,  as  political  circumstances  will  permit.  Others  are 
striving  for  the  extinction  of  a  Reformed  Church.  I  think  our 
duty  is  to  leave  no  means  unused  to  secure  the  efficiency  of  the 
Church  in  the  future  ;  and  to  this  I  strictly  confine  myself. — 
Your  obedient  servant, 

EDWARD  A.  STOPFORD 

Archdeacon  of  Meath. 


The  Bill  was  still  under  discussion  in  Parliament 
when  the  Easter  vestries  met,  and  at  most  of  them 


THE   EVE   OF    DISESTABLISHMENT 

resolutions  were  passed  protesting  against  dis- 
establishment. By  direction  of  the  bishop,  delegates 
were  elected  at  these  meetings  to  a  diocesan  conference 
which  he  had  summoned.  This  conference  met  at 
Navan  on  Wednesday,  the  thirty-first  of  March,  1869. 
The  large  attendance,  both  of  clergy  and  laity,  showed 
how  great  was  the  interest  that  the  question  had 
excited.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  amongst  the 
clergy  present  there  were  two  at  least  who  had  openly 
declared  themselves  as  being  in  favour  of  Mr. 
Gladstone's  Bill.  One  was  the  Reverend  Frederick 
Trench,  Rector  of  Newtown,  who  had  published  a 
pamphlet  on  the  subject.  A  short  time  previously  he 
had  been  present  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Kells 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and  was  met  with 
such  tokens  of  hostility  from  the  people  assembled, 
that  he  had  to  quit  the  room.2  The  other  was  the 
Reverend  Doctor  Brady,  Vicar  of  Donaghpatrick, 
who  shortly  afterwards,  having  commuted  and  com- 
pounded, seceded  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  ended 
his  days  as  one  of  the  Pope's  chamberlains  at  the 
Vatican. 

The  bishop  presided  at  the  meeting,  and  the  first 
resolution  was  proposed  by  Lord  Dunsany,  and 
seconded  by  Archdeacon  Stopford,  as  follows  : 

That  this  meeting  protests  against  the  measure  for  the 
disestablishment  and  disendowment  of  the  Irish  branch  of 
the  United  Church  now  before  Parliament,  as  destroying  the 
religious  character  of  the  State,  and  alienating  from  the  direct 
service  of  God  property  solemnly  devoted  to  Him  ;  and  also 
as  an  enormous  injustice  to  the  members  of  the  Irish  branch 
of  the  Reformed  Church,  from  which  there  will  be  thus 
withdrawn  that  provision  for  the  ministry  of  the  pure  Word 
of  God,  and  of  His  Sacraments,  which,  by  compacts  that 
ought  to  be  most  binding,  had  been  assured  to  them. 

1  Report  of  Meeting  in   the  Mcath  Herald. 


200  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

This  was  followed  by  another  resolution,  proposed 
by  Major  Dalton,  and  seconded  by  the  Reverend  C.  J. 
Bayly,  Vicar  of  Trim  : 

That  this  meeting  further  protests  against  the  government 
measure,  as  containing,  apart  from  the  primary  wrong,  a 
multitude  of  secondary  injustices,  and  as  calculated  to  oppose 
great  hindrance  to  the  future  working  of  the  Irish  Church. 3 

It  was  scarcely  to  be  expected  that  resolutions 
like  these  would  influence  in  any  way  the  minds  of  the 
senators  who  were  debating  the  subject  at  Westminster. 
Two  months  later  the  Bill  had  passed  its  third  reading 
by  an  overwhelming  majority.  There  was  still  a  hope 
that  the  House  of  Lords  would  come  to  the  rescue  and 
throw  out  the  Bill.  But  this  hope  also  proved  to  be 
vain.  On  the  twelfth  of  July — a  day  which  suggested 
very  different  memories — the  peers  read  the  Bill  a  third 
time,  and  shortly  afterwards  it  received  the  royal 
assent,  and  became  the  law  of  the  land. 

The  time  was  one  of  great  anxiety  and  of  no  little 
foreboding.  It  was,  however,  a  good  omen  that  in 
the  midst  of  all  their  troubles  the  churchmen  of  Meath, 
so  far  from  being  disheartened  as  to  the  future,  were 
actually  inaugurating  a  new  organization,  which  was 
to  have  for  its  object  the  improvement  of  church  music. 
It  was  in  the  week  before  the  Church  Bill  was  intro- 
duced that  the  first  annual  meeting  was  held  of  the 
Meath  Church  Choral  Association.  The  first  Choral 
Festival  had  been  held  in  Athboy  in  December,  1867. 
After  it,  the  Choral  Association  was  formed,  and  the 
first  festival  under  its  auspices  was  held  at  Kells, 
when  the  church  was  re-opened  after  renovation,  on 
the  fifth  of  August,  1868.  The  following  extract 
from  the  report  will  be  read  with  interest  : 

At  the  end  of  the  first  year  since  the  Meath  Church  Choral 

3  Report  of  Meeting  in  the  Meatk  Herald. 


THE   EVE   OF   DISESTABLISHMENT  2OI 

Association  assumed  its  present  form,  the  committee  have 
much  reason  to  congratulate  the  members  and  friends  of  the 
association  on  the  success  which  has  attended  it.  Already 
the  example  set  by  Meath  has  led  to  the  formation  of  a  similar 
association  in  Westmeath,  and  from  enquiries  which  have 
been  addressed  to  the  secretaries  as  to  the  rules  and  working 
of  our  association,  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  like 
movements  are  in  contemplation  elsewhere.  At  the  Kells 
Festival  all  the  eleven  choirs  in  union  took  part,  and  we 
cannot  do  better  in  speaking  of  the  result  than  by  quoting 
the  words  of  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Torrance,  who  most  kindly 
assisted  us  by  presiding  at  the  organ.  Writing  of  the  festival 
afterwards,  he  says,  "  I  think  that  all  engaged  in  it  have 
very  good  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  early  fruit  of  an 
association  which  will  yet,  I  hope,  do  great  things  for  the 
church  music  of  the  diocese."  We  cannot  leave  this  subject 
without  expressing  our  thanks  to  the  Reverend  Alfred  T. 
Harvey,  for  his  unwearied  exertions  in  superintending  the 
training  of  the  several  choirs  for  the  festival. 4 

As  noted  in  this  report,  the  Westmeath  Church 
Choral  Union  dates  from  practically  the  same  time. 
It  was  established  on  the  same  lines  as  that  in  Meath, 
and  held  its  first  festival  in  Mullingar  on  Tuesday, 
the  fifteenth  of  December.  The  Westmeath  choirs 
were  trained  by  the  Reverend  Doctor  Reichel,  who 
afterwards  became  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  the 
Reverend  R.  T.  Bevan,  Rector  of  Street,  in  the  Diocese 
of  Ardagh.  What  progress  has  been  made  in  the 
meantime  may  be  judged  from  the  fact,  that  at  this 
festival  there  was  no  anthem,  and  that  the  whole  service 
was  rendered  in  unison. 

Thus  there  was  no  tone  of  faltering  or  of  dis- 
couragement. The  wealth  of  the  Church  might  be 
taken  away,  but  its  welfare  was  assured,  when  its 
children  were  prepared  to  go  forth  with  singing  to 
undertake  the  serious  task  which  lay  before  them. 

4  Report  of  the  Meath  Church  Chora)  Association. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

RECONSTRUCTION. 

WHEN  disestablishment  and  disendowment  had  become 
accomplished  facts,  not  a  moment's  time  was  lost  in 
commencing  the  work  of  reconstruction.  The  Irish 
Church  Act  was  passed  in  July,  1869,  but  did  not  come 
into  operation  until  the  first  day  of  the  year  1871. 
The  interval  was  employed  in  drawing  up  a  constitution 
for  the  Church,  in  making  arrangements  for  general 
and  diocesan  synods,  in  appointing  members  of  the 
Representative  Church  Body,  and  in  formulating 
schemes  for  the  collection  of  church  funds.  The  whole 
work  of  preparation  was  practically  completed  before 
the  Church  Act  came  into  force. 

The  Irish  House  of  Convocation  had  not  been  called 
together  since  the  days  of  Queen  Anne,  nor  could 
it  be  assembled  without  the  royal  mandate.  This 
restriction  being  taken  away  by  the  Church  Act, 
it  was  determined  that  Convocation  should  be  called 
once  more  into  existence.  Accordingly,  it  met  in 
Saint  Patrick's  Cathedral,  in  September,  1869.  Among 
the  resolutions  which  were  passed  at  this  meeting,  was 
one  that  declared  "  that  under  the  present  circum- 
stances of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  the  co-operation 
of  the  faithful  laity  had  become  more  than  ever 
desirable,"  and  another  arranged  for  the  holding  of  a 
"  convention,"  in  which  both  laity  and  clergy  would 
meet  together.  In  anticipation  of  these  resolutions, 
a  meeting  of  the  laity  had  been  already  held,  to  make 


RECONSTRUCTION  2O3 

suggestions  and  arrangements  for  the  future  manage- 
ment of  the  Church.  This  meeting  drew  up  a 
requisition  to  the  two  archbishops,  asking  that  a  con- 
ference of  representative  laymen  should  be  summoned 
for  the  fifth  of  October  following.  Accordingly,  a 
circular  was  issued  which  directed  each  incumbent 
to  summon  a  meeting  of  his  parishioners,  admitting 
all  adult  members  of  the  Church,  either  resident  or 
holding  property  in  the  parish.  These  were  to  elect 
as  many  lay  delegates  as  there  were  clergy  in  the  parish, 
and  to  forward  the  names  without  delay  to  the  bishop. 
The  course  thus  indicated  was  adopted  in  Meath  as 
in  all  other  dioceses,  and  the  bishop  assembled  the 
delegates — Meath  and  Westmeath  meeting  separately— 
and  from  them  the  members  of  the  lay  conference  were 
chosen.  When  this  conference  met,  it  agreed  to  the 
suggestion  of  Convocation,  that  a  general  convention 
of  clergy  and  laity  should  be  assembled. 

The  next  move,  therefore,  was  to  elect  repre- 
sentatives to  this  "General  Convention,"  which  was 
to  transact  business  such  as  is  now  ordinarily  transacted 
by  the  General  Synod,  besides  drawing  up  a  code  of 
laws  by  which  the  Church  was  to  be  governed  under  its 
altered  circumstances.  Once  more  a  meeting  of  the 
parishioners  was  held  in  every  parish  to  appoint 
delegates,  but  on  this  occasion  it  was  left  optional 
to  elect  two  laymen  for  every  clergyman,  a  privilege 
which  was  embraced  in  nearly  every  instance.  On 
the  result  of  these  elections  the  Diocesan  Synod  of 
Meath  met  for  the  first  time — though  this  meeting 
is  not  ordinarily  counted  among  the  number  of  Meath 
synods.  The  delegates  from  the  eastern  portion  of 
the  diocese  met  at  Navan  on  Monday  the  twenty-second 
of  November,  1869,  and  those  from  the  western  portion, 
at  Mullingar,  on  the  following  Wednesday. 


2O4  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

The  bishop  presided  at  both  meetings,  and  in  his 
opening  speech  pointed  out  that  the  object  which 
brought  them  together  was  to  take  steps  for  the  future 
organization  of  the  Church.  He  was  sure  that  they  had 
all  assembled  under  a  deep  sense  of  the  obligation 
imposed  upon  them,  and  he  trusted  that  the  harmony 
and  unity  which  hitherto  had  pervaded  their  councils, 
would  not  be  broken.  He  went  on  to  remind  the 
delegates  of  a  resolution  which  had  been  passed  by 
Convocation,  and  had  been  quoted  in  a  letter  issued 
by  the  two  archbishops,  "  that  they  were  now  called 
upon  not  to  originate  a  constitution  for  a  new  com- 
munion, but  to  repair  a  sudden  breach  in  one  of  the 
most  ancient  churches  in  Christendom."  The  bishop 
explained  what  he  thought  was  the  spirit  in  which 
they  should  approach  the  work  of  reconstruction  by 
referring  to  the  "  very  striking  passage "  in  the 
Preface  to  the  Prayer  Book,  which  spoke  of 
"  Ceremonies,  why  some  be  abolished  and  some  be 
retained."  The  reference,  he  said,  was  to  certain 
persons  who  were  anxious  to  discard  everything  because 
it  was  old,  and  to  introduce  novelties  simply  because 
they  were  novelties ;  and  he  went  on  to  quote,  "  in 
such  case  they  ought  to  have  reverence  to  them  for 
their  antiquity,  if  they  will  declare  themselves  to  be 
more  studious  of  unity  and  concord  than  of  innovations 
and  new-fangleness,  which  (as  much  as  may  be  with 
true  setting  forth  of  Christ's  religion)  is  always  to  be 
eschewed." 

The  remainder  of  the  bishop's  speech  was  taken 
up  with  matters  of  business.  He  explained  the  mode 
of  voting,  the  qualification  of  voters,  and  other  matters, 
connected  with  the  election  of  delegates ;  and  he 
proceeded  to  say  that  he  thought  it  advisable  that  they 
should  not  enter  into  a  discussion  on  any  subject  that 


RECONSTRUCTION  205 

might  lead  to  a  debate.  Before  concluding  he  spoke 
of  a  resolution  which  had  been  arrived  at  by  the 
prelates,  that  they  would  sit  and  vote  as  a  separate 
body  or  order.  This  resolution  had  given  rise  to  a 
good  deal  of  comment,  because  it  constituted  the  bench 
of  bishops  a  kind  of  separate  house,  able  to  control 
the  decisions  of  the  synod  in  the  same  way  as  the  House 
of  Lords  can  exert  a  restraining  influence  on  the  House 
of  Commons.  Bishop  Butcher  gave  the  reasons  why 
they  had  come  to  this  decision,  and  told  the  synod  that 
the  real  motive  in  their  hearts  was  to  guard  the  interests 
of  the  Church.  It  will  be  gathered  from  this,  as  from 
the  whole  tone  of  the  address,  that  there  were  some 
misgivings  as  to  how  far  a  popularly  elected  body  could 
be  trusted  with  the  control  of  Church  affairs.  If  his 
lordship  had  survived  to  the  present  day,  he  would 
see  that  his  fears  were  groundless.  He  would,  no  doubt, 
be  both  surprised  and  gratified  to  find  that  this  episcopal 
veto,  which  seemed  then  so  necessary,  has  been 
little  more  than  a  dead  letter. 

In  accordance  with  the  bishop's  suggestion,  there 
was  practically  no  debate  at  these  meetings.  A  little 
dissatisfaction  was  expressed  at  the  synod  being  called 
together  in  two  sections,  but  the  objections  were  over- 
ruled, and  when  the  necessary  elections  were  completed, 
the  sittings  came  to  an  end.  It  may  be  well  here  to 
record  the  names  of  those  who  represented  Meath 
at  the  General  Convention,  which  met  shortly  after- 
wards to  draw  up  the  constitution  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland.  The  clerical  representatives  were  : — J.  F. 
Battersby,  Doctor  Joseph  Bell,  E.  F.  Berry,  Dean 
Brownlow,  C.  Burton,  T.  G.  Caulfield,  Doctor  Dundas, 
R.  Radcliff,  Doctor  Reichel,  C.  Russell,  H.  A.  Sadleir, 
and  Archdeacon  Stopford.  The  lay  representatives 
were  :  J.  P.  Armstrong,  G.  A.  Rochford  Boyd,  T.  P. 


2O6  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE    OF    MEATH 

Cairnes,  Lord  Castlemaine,  Richard  Chaloner,  Major 
G.  T.  Dalton,  Lord  Dunsany,  Doctor  Ferguson,  Robert 
Fowler,  Samuel  Garnett,  Thomas  Gerrard,  J.  L.  Naper, 
J.  J.  Nugent,  R.  Nugent,  H.  M.  Pilkington,  LL.D., 
VV.  Barlow  Smythe,  P.  H.  Thompson,  J.  Tisdall,  R.  C. 
Wade,  and  H.  H.  Woods.  Of  this  long  list  only  one- 
Mr.  Thomas  Gerrard — now  remains  to  us. 

The  "  General  Convention  of  the  Church  of  Ireland," 
of  which  these  gentlemen  were  members,  sat  for  forty- 
one  days,  from  the  fifteenth  of  February  to  the  second 
of  April,  1870.  It  resumed  its  sittings  on  the  eighteenth 
of  October  following,  when  it  sat  for  sixteen  days  more, 
to  the  fourth  of  November.  The  account  of  the 
important  business  which  it  transacted  belongs  to  the 
general  history  of  the  Church.  It  may  suffice  here  to 
note  that  the  delegates  from  Meath  took  a  leading  part 
in  the  deliberations,  and  that  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant points  in  the  legislation  of  the  Church  were  due 
to  their  initiative.  For  example,  the  third  clause  of 
the  "  Preamble  and  Declaration,"  which  is  prefixed 
to  the  Constitution  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  was 
not  in  the  original  draft,  but  was  proposed  by  Arch- 
deacon Stopford.  It  sets  forth  that,  "  The  Church 
of  Ireland  will  maintain  communion  with  the  sister 
Church  of  England,  and  with  all  other  Christian  churches 
agreeing  in  the  principles  of  this  declaration  ;  and  will 
set  forward,  as  far  as  in  it  lieth,  quietness,  peace,  and 
love,  among  all  Christian  people."  It  will  be  seen  that 
this  is  not  the  least  important  of  the  articles  which  are 
laid  down  as  principles  in  that  preamble. 

The  Reverend  Doctor  Reichel  was,  as  many  will 
remember,  a  skilful  debater  and  ready  speaker,  and 
as  may  well  be  imagined,  he  took  a  prominent  part 
in  all  the  discussions.  In  the  matter  of  the  system 
of  nomination  to  vacant  parishes,  it  may  be  said  that 


RECONSTRUCTION  207 

the  new  method  was  altogether  shaped  by  him.  The 
number  of  the  diocesan  representatives,  and  the 
position  of  the  bishop  as  president  of  the  board,  with  an 
ordinary  and  casting  vote,  are  due  to  the  amendments 
which  he  proposed,  and  the  acceptance  of  which  he 
urged  on  the  convention  with  his  extraordinary  vigour. 
In  the  original  draft,  it  was  proposed  that  the  Board 
of  Nomination  should  in  each  case  consist  of  three 
nominators  elected  by  the  parishioners,  together  with 
three  clergymen  and  three  laymen  elected  by  the  synod, 
the  bishop  seemingly  being  excluded.  This  board 
was  to  nominate  three  clergymen  to  the  bishop,  and 
from  these  three  the  diocesan  was  to  make  his  choice. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  at  each  board  the  diocese 
would  be  represented  by  six  members,  and  the  parish 
by  three.  On  the  other  hand,  there  would  be  six  lay 
votes  to  three  clerical.  The  present  system,  as  pro- 
posed by  Doctor  Reichel  and  accepted  by  the  convention, 
makes  the  board  to  consist  of  four  laymen,  three  of 
whom  represent  the  parish,  and  two  clergymen,  who 
with  the  bishop  and  the  fourth  layman  represent  the 
diocese.  It  is  said  that  when  Doctor  Reichel  became 
bishop,  and  had  experience  of  the  working  of  these 
boards,  he  was  led  to  doubt  whether  the  present 
system  adequately  protects  the  interests  of  the  diocese. 
Dean  Craig,  writing  to  the  bishop's  son,  says  : 

He  told  me  candidly  that,  when  the  matter  was  under 
consideration  after  the  disestablishment  of  the  Church,  it 
was  proposed  that  the  diocese  should  be  more  represented, 
and  the  parish  less.  He  at  that  time  went  in  for  the  system 
adopted  and  still  in  force,  but  had  quite  changed  his  mind 
after  some  years  of  experience,  though  he  felt  the  difficulty  of 
making  a  change  now.  On  one  remarkable  occasion,  when  the 
parochial  nominators  all  voted  for  a  certain  candidate,  and 
were  supported  by  the  lay  diocesan  nominator,  he  gave  his 
vote  with  the  clerical  nominators,  and  immediately  after,  his 


208  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

casting  vote.  He  was  convinced  that  he  was  acting  rightly, 
and  without  doubt  he  was.  I  was  a  member  of  the  board  on 
that  occasion.1 

Among  the  resolutions  passed  at  the  convention 
was  one,  proposed  by  Master  Brooke,  as  follows  : 

That  a  committee  shall  be  appointed  to  consider  whether, 
without  making  any  such  alterations  in  the  Liturgy  or 
formularies  of  our  Church  as  would  involve  or  imply  any 
change  in  her  doctrines,  any  measures  can  be  suggested 
calculated  to  check  the  introduction  and  spread  of  novel 
doctrines  and  practices,  opposed  to  the  principles  of  our 
Reformed  Church,  and  to  report  to  the  General  Synod  of 
1871. 

Immediately  afterwards,  Doctor  Lee,  Archdeacon 
of  Dublin,  resigned  his  membership  of  the  convention, 
on  the  grounds  that  by  this  resolution  the  synod  was 
to  be  asked  to  alter  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland.  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  a  member's 
resignation  simply  means  that  another  takes  his  place, 
but  in  this  case  it  was  felt  that  by  letting  the  matter 
pass  over,  there  was  a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  the 
truth  of  the  charge  made  by  the  archdeacon.  There 
was  a  small  party  in  the  convention  which  rejoiced 
in  the  secession  of  any  high  churchman,  and  one  of 
them  moved  that  this  resignation  be  simply  accepted. 
Once  more,  however,  the  convention  accepted  the 
leadership  of  Doctor  Reichel,  and  by  a  vote  of  two 
hundred  to  twelve  agreed  to  his  resolution  : 

That  in  accepting  the  resignation  of  the  Venerable  William 
Lee,  D.D.,  Archdeacon  of  Dublin,  the  Convention  distinctly 
repudiates  the  allegation  contained  in  his  letter  to  the  Lord 
Primate,  viz.  :  that  the  Convention  had  adopted  a  resolution, 
of  which  the  object  is  to  alter  or  modify  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  as  denned  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer."  2 

1  Memoir   of   Bishop   Reichel   prefixed   to    Sermons    by   Charles   Parson* 
Reichel,  published  after  the  Bishop's  death. 

'!  Journal  of  (He  General  Convention  of  the  Church  of  Ireland. 


RECONSTRUCTION 

The  part  which  Doctor  Reichel  took  in  shaping  the 
regulations  for  the  appointment  of  clergymen  to  vacant 
cures  may  be  said  to  have  been  paralleled  by  Doctor 
Pilkington  in  framing  that  chapter  of  the  statutes 
which  deals  with  ecclesiastical  tribunals.  Doctor 
Pilkington  held  for  some  years  the  office  of  Chancellor 
to  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  and  was  one  of  the  ablest 
ecclesiastical  lawyers  of  his  time.  There  is  scarcely  a 
clause  in  the  chapter  referred  to  which  was  not  amended 
at  his  suggestion,  and  several  of  the  rules  which  were 
introduced  were  proposed  by  him. 

It  remains  to  add  that  the  mode  of  electing  to  the 
Primacy,  after  much  debate  and  many  abortive 
proposals,  was  settled  by  the  acceptance  of  a  resolution 
proposed  by  one  of  the  Meath  representatives.  It 
was  Mr.  Barlow  Smythe  whose  suggestion  was  in  the 
end  adopted,  and  which  now,  with  some  modification, 
forms  part  of  the  law  of  the  Church. 

At  the  ensuing  Easter  vestries,  lists  of  registered 
vestrymen  were  formed,  and  in  each  parish  a  select 
vestry  was  elected,  as  well  as  parochial  nominators 
and  diocesan  synodsmen.  Thus  the  parochial 
machinery  was  set  at  work  which  has  continued  in 
operation  until  the  present  day. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Diocesan  Synod,  formed 
in  accordance  with  the  rules  laid  down  by  the  Irish 
Church  Convention,  was  held  on  the  twenty-eighth 
of  July,  1870.  The  members  assembled  for  Divine 
Service  and  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion 
in  the  chapel  of  the  Lying-in-Hospital,  Dublin,  and 
afterwards  met  for  the  transaction  of  business  in  the 
Pillar  Room  of  the  Rotunda.  The  meeting  lasted  for 
two  days,  and  as  the  mandate  from  the  Primate  for  the 
election  of  members  of  the  General  Synod  had  not  yet 
been  received,  it  was  adjourned  for  that  purpose,  and 

VOL.  n.  p 


210  HISTORY   OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

met  again  later  in  the  year  in  two  parts — the  Meath 
portion  in  Navan,  and  the  Westmeath  portion  in 
Mullingar.  The  resolutions  adopted  at  this  synod 
were  all  of  a  business-like  character  ;  they  denned  the 
duties  of  the  Diocesan  Council,  as  well  as  the  number 
of  members,  and  the  mode  of  their  election.  They 
directed  the  council  to  carry  into  effect  the  resolutions 
with  regard  to  finance  which  had  been  adopted  by  the 
General  Convention,  and  for  that  purpose  to  promote 
parochial  organization  for  the  collection  of  subscriptions 
and  donations  to  the  sustentation  fund  ;  they  also 
asked  the  council  to  report  on  the  subject  of  the  re- 
arrangement of  benefices,  and  to  prepare  a  list  of 
churches,  glebe-houses,  and  other  church  property 
that  was  to  be  claimed  from  the  government.  They 
recommended  the  clergy  to  commute,  so  as  to  gain 
the  financial  advantages  which  were  thereby  secured. 
These  resolutions,  together  with  the  election  of  the 
Diocesan  Council  and  of  the  Board  of  Patronage  for 
the  diocese,  seem  to  have  fully  occupied  their  time. 

The  Diocesan  Council  met  for  the  first  time  at 
8  Dawson  Street,  Dublin,  on  Wednesday,  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  August,  1870,  and  set  at  once  to  work,  meeting 
regularly  every  month,  until  after  the  first  arrangements 
were  completed,  it  was  not  deemed  necessary  for  them 
to  meet  so  often. 

The  financial  arrangements  of  the  diocese  formed 
naturally  one  of  the  first  subjects  to  be  considered 
by  the  Diocesan  Council  and  the  Synod.  It  does 
not  fall  within  the  scope  of  this  present  work  to  give 
an  exposition  of  Irish  Church  finance,  but  so  many 
wild  assertions  have  lately  been  made  on  this  subject 
that  it  may  be  well  here  to  explain  the  exact  state  of 
the  case,  taking  the  finances  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath 
as  our  example. 


RECONSTRUCTION  211 

The  first  fact  that  we  have  to  keep  in  mind  is  that 
the  Irish  Church  Act  provided  for  the  payment  of  the 
existing  clergy  as  long  as  they  lived,  and  gave  to  the 
Church  the  right  of  demanding  their  services  in  return 
for  this  payment.  In  other  words,  the  Act  did  not 
turn  the  clergy  all  adrift.  It  was  felt  that  to  do  so 
would  be  intolerably  unjust.  What  the  Act  provided 
was  that,  while  the  existing  clergy  lived,  things 
were  to  go  on  as  before,  but  as  each  clergyman  died, 
there  would  be  no  State  provision  for  hiss  uccessor. 
The  position  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath  then  was  that  it 
had  one  hundred  and  thirteen  clergymen  whose  services 
would  be  paid  for  by  the  government  as  long  as  they 
lived,  but  when  they  died  provision  had  to  be  made 
for  their  successors.  Such  clergymen  were  henceforth 
known  as  "  annuitants."  It  will  be  easily  understood 
that  this  arrangement  made  it  possible  for  something 
to  be  done  in  the  way  of  re-endowment.  In  any 
individual  parish  the  parishioners  could  at  once  begin 
to  subscribe  for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  and  their 
subscriptions  could  be  allowed  to  accumulate  as  long  as 
their  clergyman  lived.  On  his  death,  the  amount 
thus  saved  would  form  an  endowment  to  help  towards 
the  payment  of  his  successor. 

Another  alternative  was  offered  to  the  church  and 
the  clergy.  It  was  proposed  that  if  the  clergy  consented, 
the  capitalized  value  of  their  annuities  would  be  handed 
over  to  the  Church,  and  in  that  case  the  Church  would 
have  to  pay  the  annuities  instead  of  the  government. 
This  was  not  really  an  alternative,  but  was  simply 
another  and  a  more  economical  way  of  carrying  out  the 
same  business.  To  pay  an  annuity  year  by  year, 
or  to  pay  the  ascertained  value  of  the  annuity  in  one 
sum,  is  financially  an  equivalent  transaction.  This 
proposal  of  the  government  was  accepted.  The 


212  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

clergy  of  Meath,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  agreed 
to  it,  and  as  a  result,  the  diocese  received  a  sum  of 
£367,436  145.  8d.,  and  undertook  to  pay  annuities 
amounting  to  close  on  ^30,000  a  year.  The  clergy 
who  agreed  to  this  arrangement  were  said  to  have 
"  commuted,"  and  the  money  thus  given  to  the 
diocese  was  called  "  commutation  capital." 

It  would  seem  at  first  sight  that  this  was  a  large 
sum  of  money  for  one  diocese  to  receive  under  an  Act  of 
disendowment,  but  when  we  look  into  the  matter,  we 
will  see  that  the  government  made  an  exceedingly  good 
bargain  by  the  transaction.  Every  clergyman  in  the 
diocese  was  entitled  to  a  government  annuity,  and  that 
being  so,  it  would  seem  that  the  sum  awarded  should 
be  the  amount  which  would  enable  the  diocese  to 
purchase  such  an  annuity  in  each  case.  But  this  was 
by  no  means  possible.  It  would  have  taken  about 
£55,000  more  to  do  so.  Or  to  put  it  in  another  way  : 
if  the  diocese  had  invested  its  capital  in  Three  per 
cent.  Consuls,  and  had  been  able  to  purchase  them  at 
par — a  thing  that  was  not  possible  at  the  time — 
and  if  Mr.  Goschen  had  not  brought  in  his  Bill  for 
reducing  the  interest  on  Consuls  :  then  when  the  whole 
transaction  would  have  been  completed,  the  diocese 
would  have  been  a  loser  by  £55,000.  This  sum, 
therefore,  represents  the  profit  which  the  government 
made  by  its  transactions  with  the  Diocese  of  Meath. 
Instead  of  making  a  concession  to  the  Church,  it  was 
really  saving  its  own  pocket. 

The  value  of  the  annuities  was  calculated  at  three 
and  a  half  per  cent.  This  means  that  if  the  sum 
mentioned  had  been  invested  at  that  rate  of  interest, 
the  net  result  would  be  neither  gain  nor  loss.  When  the 
last  annuitant  had  been  paid  off,  nothing  would  be 
left.  The  Representative  Church  Body,  however, 


RECONSTRUCTION  213 

undertook  business,  somewhat  similar  to  that  which 
is  conducted  by  an  insurance  company,  and  by  their 
success  in  that  enterprise  they  were  able  to  pay  the 
diocese  four  per  cent,  on  the  amount  of  its  capital. 
Three  and  a  half  per  cent,  as  we  have  seen,  would  have 
enabled  the  diocese  exactly  to  pay  its  way  in  dealing 
with  the  annuitants.  Four  per  cent,  gave  a  clear 
profit  of  one  half,  and  this  half  per  cent,  profit  would 
yield  £1,837  a  year.  This  amount,  put  by  every  year, 
and  allowed  to  accumulate  at  compound  interest, 
would  this  year  (1907)  come  almost  exactly  to  £150,000. 
The  amount  that  has  been  saved  out  of  the  original 
capital  is  more  than  this.  It  amounts  to  £176,884. 
The  difference  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the 
staff  of  clergy  was  at  once  cut  down,  and  that  several 
were  content  to  take  part  of  the  value  of  their  annuities 
on  being  released  from  the  obligation  of  giving  their 
life  service.  We  have  thus  accounted  for  a  large  part 
of  the  diocesan  capital.  The  remainder  has  been 
chiefly  derived  from  the  accumulation  of  subscriptions 
paid  for  sustentation  during  the  lives  of  the  annuitant 
clergy,  but  not  required  for  the  support  of  the  ministry 
until  after  their  decease.  The  actual  financial 
operations  were  much  more  complicated  than  the  case 
as  here  presented,  but  the  final  result  was  bound  to 
work  out  very  much  in  the  same  way. 

Up  to  this  we  have  dealt  only  with  the  question 
of  the  payment  of  the  annuitants.  Another  question 
called  for  immediate  settlement,  namely,  how  to  furnish 
stipends  for  the  various  parishes,  according  as  they 
became  vacant.  We  have  shown  above  how  this  could 
have  been  done  in  any  one  individual  parish.  But 
the  uncertainty  of  life  would  have  rendered  the  in- 
dependent action  of  parishes  most  precarious  and 
unsatisfactory.  If  the  clergyman  of  the  parish  lived 


214  HISTORY   OF   THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

long,  a  good  deal  could  be  done  to  provide  for  his 
successor,  but  if  he  lived  only  for  a  short  time,  no  such 
provision  could  be  made.  To  meet  this  difficulty, 
the  Financial  Scheme  was  framed.  The  principle  on 
which  this  was  founded  was  that  of  an  insurance 
company,  namely,  that  while  each  individual  case  was 
uncertain,  the  inclusion  of  a  large  number  of  cases 
reduced  this  uncertainty  to  a  minimum.  Accordingly, 
every  parish  was  required  to  subscribe  whether  it  had 
an  annuitant  clergyman  or  not,  and  the  diocese  under- 
took to  pay  the  stipend  of  the  new  incumbent  whenever 
it  became  necessary  to  appoint  one.  In  this  way  it  was 
calculated  that  in  the  early  years,  when  few  clergymen 
would  have  to  be  paid,  an  amount  of  capital  could  be 
secured,  the  interest  on  which  would  be  available 
when  the  full  charge  of  sustentation  would  have  to  be 
borne.  It  was  expected  that  -a  fund  could  thus  be 
formed  sufficient  to  pay  thirty-five  per  cent,  of  the 
incomes  of  all  the  clergy  in  Meath,  and  on  this  basis 
the  financial  scheme  was  founded.  Subsequent 
years  showed  the  correctness  of  these  calculations. 
Not  only  has  the  scheme  been  able  to  pay  all  the 
demands  that  were  made  upon  it,  but  since  the  year 
1896  it  has  been  found  possible  to  pay  bonuses  of  six 
and  four  per  cent,  to  those  clergy  who  have  been  ten 
years  in  Orders,  and  to  carry  over  every  year  a  balance 
amounting  to  about  one  thousand  pounds. 

The  Financial  Scheme  was  adopted  at  the  synod 
which  was  assembled  on  the  fifteenth  of  November, 
1871.  Earlier  in  the  year,  the  Reverend  Robert  Gregg, 
who  afterwards  became  successively  Bishop  of  Ossory, 
Bishop  of  Cork,  and  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  attended 
a  meeting  of  the  Diocesan  Council,  and  explained  the 
financial  proposals  of  the  Representative  Church  Body. 
At  that  meeting  a  sub-committee  was  appointed, 


RECONSTRUCTION  215 

consisting  of  Archdeacon  Stopford,  the  Reverend 
Garrett  Nugent,  afterwards  Archdeacon  of  Meath, 
Mr.  W.  Barlow  Smythe,  The  Honourable  R.  Handcock, 
Mr.  Robert  Fowler,  Mr.  G.  A.  Rochfort  Boyd,  and 
Mr.  Thomas  P.  Cairnes.  These  drew  up  a  draft  of  the 
scheme,  which  was  presented  to  the  council,  and  then 
submitted  to  the  synod.  It  was  afterwards  submitted 
to  an  actuary,  and  then  to  the  Representative  Church 
Body.  At  the  following  synod  (July  gth,  1872),  it 
was  again  brought  up,  and  with  some  amendments 
was  brought  into  the  shape  which  it  has  since  retained. 

A  large  number  of  the  clergy  elected  to 
"  compound,"  that  is  to  say,  they  gave  up  their 
annuities,  and  received  in  return  a  lump  sum,  amounting 
to  somewhat  more  than  half  the  value,  being  relieved 
at  the  same  time  from  the  obligation  of  giving  their 
life  service.  Many  of  them  continued  to  work  in  the 
diocese,  but  became  stipendiary  clergy,  receiving  the 
ordinary  stipend  of  the  parish,  with  a  certain  deduction, 
on  account  of  the  capital  sum  which  they  had  received. 
In  every  such  case  the  parish  became  vacant,  and  this 
fact  very  considerably  facilitated  the  work  of  re- 
arrangement of  benefices.  This  project  was  therefore 
taken  in  hand  at  once.  At  the  time  of  disendowment 
the  number  of  benefices  was  one  hundred  and  five. 
This  number  was  immediately  reduced  to  seventy- 
seven.  A  still  further  reduction  took  place  afterwards, 
so  that  the  number  of  parishes  now  amounts  to 
seventy.  This  consolidation  of  parishes  was  in  every 
way  good  for  the  diocese.  It  was  economical,  for  it 
enabled  the  work  to  be  done  with  a  smaller  staff. 
But  it  was  also  good  in  other  ways,  for  some  of  the 
parishes  were  absurdly  small,  and  indeed  it  was  only 
difficulties  about  patronage  and  the  like  that  had 
prevented  it  from  being  carried  out  at  an  earlier  period. 


2l6  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE  OF   MEATH 

The  net  result  of  all  was  that  the  diocese  entered 
on  its  new  circumstances  with  a  reduced  income  and 
a  reduced  staff.  But  the  reduction  in  income  was  not 
so  much  as  to  render  the  average  stipend  of  a  clergyman 
much  less  than  it  had  been  before  ;  nor  was  the  reduction 
in  staff  great  enough  to  interfere  seriously  with  the 
efficient  working  of  the  diocese.  A  few  churches  were 
closed,  where  the  small  numbers  attending  rendered 
this  course  advisable,  but  in  every  case  there  was 
another  church  within  a  reasonable  distance,  so  that 
none  of  the  parishioners  were  left  without  the  means 
of  grace.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  it  may  be  said  that 
the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people  are  as  well  attended 
to  as  in  the  old  times,  and  that  the  blow  of  dis- 
establishment has  not  in  any  way  impaired  the 
efficiency  of  the  work  in  the  diocese. 


CHAPTER  XL. 
THE  FIRST  EPISCOPAL  ELECTION. 

IN  August,  1876,  the  Church  of  Ireland,  and  especially 
the  Diocese  of  Meath,  was  startled  by  the  announce- 
ment of  the  unexpected  death  of  Bishop  Butcher. 
He  had  been  suffering  from  fever,  but  there  was  every 
reason  to  hope  that  his  natural  strength  would  enable 
him  to  battle  with  the  illness,  when,  in  a  moment  of 
delirium,  he  inflicted  injuries  on  himself  from  which 
he  succumbed.  He  was  a  man  whose  ability  and 
scholarship  could  badly  be  spared  at  such  a  time,  for 
the  controversy  as  to  the  revision  of  the  Prayer  Book 
was  then  at  its  height,  and  the  Church  needed  wise 
and  able  leaders  for  the  difficult  work  that  she  had 
undertaken.  The  Diocesan  Report  for  1875,  which 
was  presented  to  the  synod  on  the  seventeenth  of 
October,  1876,  has  the  following  notice  of  the  deceased 
prelate  : 

It  is  our  most  painful  duty  this  year  to  record  an  event 
that  has  cast  a  deep  gloom  over  the  entire  Church,  and  has 
specially  affected  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  We  refer  to  the  death 
of  our  beloved  and  revered  bishop,  who  was  so  suddenly 
and  unexpectedly  taken  from  amongst  us,  in  the  midst  of 
his  labours,  and  in  the  prime  of  his  usefulness.  His  loss, 
while  most  seriously  affecting  the  whole  Church,  will  be 
specially  felt  in  this  diocese,  over  which  he  presided  in  the 
trying  period  since  disestablishment,  with  such  marked  ability 
and  such  unceasing  care  ;  and  in  which  his  unvarying  kindness, 
gentleness,  and  consideration,  have  lastingly  endeared  him 
to  all.  In  the  General  Synod,  while  ably  and  firmly  maintaining 
his  own  views,  his  influence  was  constantly  exercised  in  the 


2l8  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

interests  of  moderation  and  of  peace,  and  he  was  frequently 
instrumental  in  effecting  amicable  and  satisfactory  solutions 
of  difficulties  that  threatened  to  be  most  serious.  In  our 
diocesan  synod,  in  the  Representative  Body,  in  our  diocesan 
council,  and  in  other  boards  of  which  he  was  a  member,  his 
untiring  assiduity,  his  cheerful  and  willing  devotion,  his 
forbearance  and  gentleness  towards  all,  made  him  conspicuous 
even  among  devoted  men. 

We  have  indeed  sustained  a  serious,  an  irreparable  loss, 
in  this  brave,  this  noble  life,  too  quickly  past  ;  and  it  remains 
for  us  not  merely  to  mourn  his  death,  but  to  lay  to  heart  the 
lesson  that  his  unceasing  devotion  to  his  Master's  cause, 
and  his  constant  attachment  to  the  Church  that  he  adorned, 
so  plainly  teach. 

It  would  ill  become  that  Church  to  allow  such  a  life  to 
pass  away  without  some  suitable  memorial — something  to 
mark  fitly  her  sense  of  the  benefits  he  conferred,  and  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  loss  she  mourns.  Actuated  by  this  feeling, 
the  council,  at  their  first  meeting  subsequent  to  his  death, 
unanimously  adopted  the  following  resolutions  : 

Proposed    by   Thomas  P.    Cairns,    Esq.,    seconded    by 
the  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise — 

That  this  council  desires  to  record  its  deep  sense  of  the 
irreparable  loss  it  has  sustained  by  the  death  of  its  beloved 
and  revered  chairman,  the  late  Right  Honourable  and  Most 
Reverend  Samuel  Butcher,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  this  Diocese. 
That  this  loss,  while  most  keenly  felt  by  the  Church  of  Ireland 
at  large,  in  depriving  her  of  one  of  her  most  distinguished 
prelates,  whose  learning,  munificence,  piety,  and  incessant 
devotion  to  her  interests,  contributed  so  largely  to  her 
successful  reorganization,  falls  with  peculiar  severity  on  this 
council,  over  which  he  presided  during  so  trying  a  period 
with  such  marked  ability  and  judgment,  and  in  which  his 
earnest  and  cheerful  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  diocese 
has  always  been  conspicuous,  while  his  unvarying  kindness 
and  gentleness  have  endeared  him  to  all  with  whom  he  was 
brought  into  contact.  That  we  desire  at  the  same  time  to 
express  our  profound  sympathy  for  his  bereaved  family  in 
their  deep  affliction,  and  that  for  this  purpose  a  copy  of  this 
resolution  be  forwarded  to  Mrs.  Butcher  by  our  secretaries. 


THE    FIRST   EPISCOPAL   ELECTION  21 Q 

Proposed  by  Thomas  P.  Cairns,  Esq.,  seconded  by 
the  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise — 

That  with  a  view  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  late 
Right  Honourable  and  Most  Reverend  Samuel  Butcher,  D.D., 
Lord  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  to  commemorate  the  services  he 
conferred  on  the  Church  of  Ireland,  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity  in  the  University  of  Dublin,  and  subsequently  as 
Bishop  of  Meath,  and  to  mark  a  sense  of  the  loss  sustained  by 
his  death,  a  fund  be  formed  to  be  called  "  The  Butcher 
Memorial  Fund,"  to  be  applied  in  founding  a  professorship 
in  connection  with  the  divinity  school  of  the  Church  of  Ireland, 
to  be  called  "  The  Butcher  Memorial  Professorship." 

That  contributions  to  this  fund  be  invited,  first  from  the 
members  of  the  Church  of  Ireland  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  ; 
secondly  from  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Ireland  at  large  ; 
thirdly,  from  all  such  as  knew  and  valued  the  worth  of  the  late 
Bishop  of  Meath,  and  that  the  members  of  the  Diocesan 
Council  be  appointed  to  carry  the  foregoing  resolution  into 
effect. 

In  accordance  with  the  latter  resolution,  a  consider- 
able sum  of  money  (about  £2,500)  was  subscribed, 
but  the  idea  of  founding  a  professorship  was  abandoned, 
and  instead,  a  number  of  exhibitions  were  founded  in 
connection  with  the  divinity  school,  which  are  awarded 
to  students  who  have  passed  their  junior  divinity  year. 
The  amount  in  each  case  is  not  more  than  fifty  nor 
less  than  twenty  pounds.  The  capital,  at  present 
amounting  to  £2,583,  is  lodged  with  the  Representative 
Church  Body. 

The  bishopric  having  thus  become  vacant,  the 
diocesan  synod  was  summoned  by  the  Lord  Primate 
to  assemble  on  the  eighteenth  of  October,  1876,  for  the 
election  of  a  new  bishop.  It  was  felt  by  all  to  be  a 
momentous  occasion.  We  have  seen  that  in  the  early 
days,  shortly  after  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion, 
the  synod  of  Meath  on  several  occasions  elected  the 
bishop.  In  those  synods,  however,  only  the  clergy  were 


22O  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

represented.  In  this  case  the  clergy  and  the  faithful 
laity  were  to  meet  together  for  that  purpose.  It  was 
therefore  a  new  thing.  Never  before  in  the  history 
of  the  diocese  had  such  an  event  occurred.  It  was 
also  one  of  the  first  elections  held  since  the  dis- 
establishment of  the  Church.  Three  other  bishops 
had  been  appointed — in  Cashel,  Kilmore,  and  Ossory. 
This  was  to  be  the  fourth. 

Before  the  synod  assembled,  the  members  met 
together  for  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  in 
Saint  John's  Church,  Fishamble  Street,  Dublin.  Then, 
under  the  presidency  of  the  Lord  Primate,  and  with 
the  Right  Honourable  J.  T.  Ball,  LL.D.,  acting  as 
assessor,  the  synod  met  in  the  Synod  Hall,  Christchurch 
Place,  for  the  serious  and  responsible  task  of  electing 
a  new  bishop. 

On  the  first  voting,  which  was  to  form  a  select  list, 
it  was  found  that  five  names  were  to  be  included.  These 
were,  Lord  Plunket,  who  obtained  94  lay  and  43  clerical 
votes ;  the  Very  Reverend  Achilles  Daunt,  Dean  of 
Cork,  who  had  81  lay  and  41  clerical  votes ;  the 
Venerable  Doctor  Reichel,  Archdeacon  of  Meath, 
who  was  supported  by  46  clergyman  and  19  laymen  ; 
the  Reverend  Doctor  Bell,  Rector  of  Kells,  who 
obtained  29  clerical  and  18  lay  votes,  and  the  Reverend 
Canon  Jellett,  afterwards  Dean  of  Saint  Patrick's, 
who  was  voted  for  by  30  of  the  clergy  and  21  of  the 
laity.  It  was  easily  seen  from  these  numbers  that  the 
choice  lay  practically  between  Lord  Plunket  and  the 
Dean  of  Cork.  Accordingly,  on  the  second  voting, 
few  suffrages  were  given  to  any  of  the  other  candidates. 
Lord  Plunket  obtained  this  time  84  lay  votes  and  56 
clerical,  while  Dean  Daunt  was  supported  by  46  laymen 
and  22  clergymen.  This  showed  that  Lord  Plunket 
had  obtained  a  decided  majority  over  the  dean,  but 


THE    FIRST   EPISCOPAL   ELECTION  221 

as  it  did  not  amount  to  two-thirds  of  the  members 
present  and  voting,  another  vote  was  necessary,  in 
which  the  name  of  Lord  Plunket  was  alone  submitted 
to  the  synod.  When  the  result  was  declared,  it  was 
found  that  105  out  of  116  laymen  had  voted  for  him, 
and  74  out  of  79  clergymen.  This  was  decisive,  and 
thus  the  synod  came  to  a  happy  termination  by  the 
almost  unanimous  election  of  the  new  bishop. 

William  Conyngham  Plunket,  who  thus  succeeded 
to  the  See  of  Meath,  was  the  son  of  the  Honourable 
John  Plunket,  Q.C.,  and  was  born  in  the  year  1828. 
His  uncle,  Lord  Plunket,  was  Bishop  of  Tuam,  and  by 
him  he  was  ordained  in  1857.  As  soon  as  he  was  made 
deacon  he  became  private  secretary  and  chaplain  to 
the  bishop,  and  a  year  later  he  was  appointed  rector 
of  the  united  parishes  of  Kilmoylan  and  Cummer 
In  1864  he  was  appointed  Treasurer  of  Saint  Patrick's 
Cathedral,  Dublin,  and  from  that  time  took  a  leading 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church  of  Ireland.  At  the 
time  of  disestablishment  he  was  one  of  the  delegates 
to  the  General  Convention,  and  took  part  in  the  dis- 
cussions of  that  body,  working  in  conjunction  with 
Archdeacon  Stopford,  with  whom  he  was  in  almost 
entire  agreement  as  to  principles,  policy  and  doctrine. 
At  about  the  same  time  (1871)  he  succeeded  to  the 
peerage,  becoming  fourth  Baron  Plunket.  He  soon 
became  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  evangelical  party  in 
the  Church,  and  this  fact,  together  with  his  position 
as  a  peer  of  the  realm,  marked  him  as  one  fitted  to 
rise  to  the  highest  eminence.  It  was  therefore  natural 
that  when  the  Diocese  of  Meath  became  vacant  his  name 
should  have  been  one  of  the  first  to  suggest  itself. 
Some  leading  men  in  the  diocese  communicated  with 
him  beforehand,  and  on  his  intimating  to  them  his 
willingness  to  accept  the  office  if  elected,  it  was  generally 


222  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

felt  that  the  election  was  a  foregone  conclusion.    While 
the  matter  was  still  pending,  he  wrote  to  his  mother  : 

The  Meath  Diocese  is  the  only  one  (with  the  exception  of  the 
Archbishopric  of  Dublin)  which  I  could  well  undertake  to  think 
of  just  now.  The  Diocese  of  Meath,  strangely  enough,  has 
its  centre  (so  far  as  practical  convenience  is  concerned)  outside 
of  it.  Its  synods  and  councils  and  boards  of  nomination  are 
all  held  in  Dublin,  and  it  would  therefore  be  quite  possible, 
and  indeed  most  convenient  (were  I  appointed),  that  I  should 
reside  a  great  part  of  the  year  in  Dublin.  Then  again  the  palace 
at  Ardbraccan  (a  very  fine  and  comfortable  house)  is  only  two 
hours  rail  from  Dublin.  The  diocese  is  in  good  working  order, 
and  is  compact,  so  that  the  labour  of  superintendence  would 
not  be  excessive,  and  the  clergy  and  laity,  so  far  as  I  can  learn, 
are  as  a  whole  not  of  a  troublesome  or  fratricidal  disposition  ! 
Altogether,  if  I  am  to  allow  myself  to  be  nominated  for  a 
bishopric  at  all,  I  don't  know  any  diocese  for  which  I  should 
more  wish  to  be  elected.  * 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  surmises  of  this  letter 
were  realized.  Lord  Plunket  was  elected  to  the 
bishopric,  and  was  consecrated  at  Armagh  on  Sunday, 
the  tenth  of  December,  1876.  On  the  afternoon  of 
the  same  day  the  bishop  wrote  again  to  his  mother  : 

I  cannot  help  writing  one  line  to  say  that  the  consecration 
has  taken  place,  and  I  am  now  Bishop  of  Meath.  If  I  have 
any  qualifications  to  fit  me  for  the  high  office  upon  which  in 
God's  Providence  I  have  been  called  upon  to  enter,  let  me  say 
that  I  owe  it  all,  under  God,  to  what  I  first  learned  from  you, 
and  therefore  you  shall  be  the  first  to  hear  of  the  result  from 
your  affectionate  first-born  son. 

Letters  such  as  these  betray  the  loving  and 
affectionate  disposition  of  the  man,  and  the  many 
who  remember  his  episcopate  both  in  Meath  and  in 
Dublin  will  bear  testimony  that  this  was  eminently 
his  characteristic  in  the  ruling  of  his  diocese. 

1  Howe.  Life  of  Archbishop  Plunket. 


THE    FIRST   EPISCOPAL   ELECTION  223 

Lord  Plunket  was  a  man  of  wide  sympathies,  and 
his  name  soon  became  well  known  outside  his  diocese, 
in  consequence  of  the  part  which  he  took  in  promoting 
movements  towards  reformation,  especially  in  Mexico, 
Spain  and  Portugal.  The  action  which  he  afterwards 
took  in  consecrating  a  bishop  for  the  Reformed  Church 
of  Spain  led  to  much  controversy  and  recrimination. 
That,  however,  does  not  concern  us  here,  as  the 
consecration  referred  to  took  place  after  he  had  severed 
his  connection  with  Meath.  It  may  be  enough  here 
to  remark  that  it  was  while  Bishop  of  Meath  that  his 
attention  was  first  directed  to  the  subject.  A  Dublin 
clergyman  wrote  to  him,  setting  forth  the  facts  of  the 
case,  and  urging  on  him  the  desirability  of  giving  these 
reformers  the  opportunity  of  establishing  an  episcopal 
church  by  consecrating  for  them  a  bishop  of  their  own. 
Bishop  Plunket  carefully  considered  the  subject,  and 
became  convincen  that  this  was  the  right  thing  to  do, 
and  having  once  made  up  his  mind  on  this  point,  he 
took  up  the  work  with  an  ardour  which  no  opposition 
was  able  to  quench.  He  himself  visited  Spain,  and 
satisfied  himself  as  to  the  genuineness  of  the  movement. 
He  then  made  a  strong  appeal  to  those  in  this  country 
who  were  interested  in  the  cause,  and  was  instrumental 
in  raising  a  considerable  sum  of  money.  To  a  great 
extent  he  carried  his  own  clergy  with  him,  but  there 
were  some  who  held  aloof,  and  it  was  even  muttered 
that  he  was  so  much  taken  up  with  work  abroad,  that 
he  had  little  time  or  thought  left  for  the  work  of  his 
diocese.  One  of  the  clergy — a  dignitary  of  the  diocese — 
went  so  far  as  to  write  to  the  bishop  a  letter  of  re- 
monstrance. Many  men  would  have  shown  bitter 
resentment  at  being  thus  called  to  account  by  one  of 
his  own  officers.  Bishop  Plunket,  however,  while 
he  did  not  accept  the  rebuke,  because  he  believed  it  to 


224  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

be  unmerited,  answered  in  the  spirit  of  a  true  Christian 
gentleman.      He  replied  : 

I  hasten  to  assure  you  that  your  letter  has  not  made  me 
angry  with  you.  It  is  the  part  of  a  friend  to  speak  what  he 
believes  to  be  truth  to  a  friend  at  any  cost,  and  we  have  been 
too  long  on  terms  of  affection  with  one  another  to  feel  aggrieved 
by  frank  and  kindly  speaking.  All  I  would  ask  is  that  you 
will  receive  what  I  have  to  say  in  a  similar  spirit. 

He  then  goes  on  to  say  that  much  of  the  absence 
from  the  diocese  has  been  due  to  the  illness  of  his  wife, 
and  that  on  this  account  he  had  several  times  thought 
of  resigning  his  episcopate.  He  shows  too,  that,  so 
far  from  his  having  lost  interest  in  his  diocese,  it  had 
prospered  in  a  remarkable  way  under  his  rule  ;  and 
then,  coming  to  the  real  point  of  difference,  he  adds  : 

Only  one  word  more.  If  it  be  thought  that  because  of 
the  deep  interest  which  I  feel  in  the  work  of  reform  in  other 
churches  my  interest  in  my  own  Church  is  likely  to  falter,  all 
I  can  say  is  that  such  a  principle  would  contradict  every 
experience  of  the  past.  No  church  has  ever  shown  life  or 
prospered  that  has  lacked  the  outgoing  spirit  of  missionary 
zeal,  and  I  can  truly  say  that  if  any  one  motive  more  than 
another  urges  me  to  work  as,  God  helping  me,  I  shall  continue 
to  do,  on  behalf  of  such  a  cause  as  that  of  Spanish  reform, 
it  is  the  interest  which  I  feel  in  the  honour  of  my  own  Church, 
and  the  desire  that  by  helping  others  she  may  bring  back 
into  her  bosom  an  abundant  blessing  in  return.  - 

The  first  task  that  confronted  the  diocese  on  the 
appointment  of  Lord  Plunket  was  to  provide  an  income 
for  the  new  bishop.  The  method  adopted  in  this  case 
was  practically  the  same  as  the  provision  made  for 
the  incomes  of  the  clergy.  At  the  disendowment  the 
diocese  received  the  capital  value  of  Bishop  Butcher's 
annuity,  and  undertook  to  pay  him  his  salary  as  long 
as  he  lived.  If  he  had  lived  to  the  average  term  of  life 

~l  Memoir  of  Lord  Plunket. 


THE   FIRST   EPISCOPAL   ELECTION  225 

all  this  capital  would  have  been  eaten  up,  but  in  the 
meantime  subscriptions  would  have  been  accumulating 
year  by  year,  and  these  would  form  an  endowment  from 
which  the  future  bishops  would  be  paid.  Already 
during  the  lifetime  of  Bishop  Butcher,  a  sum  of  £9,365 
had  been  put  by  in  this  way.  The  early  death  of  the 
bishop  left  a  large  part  of  the  capital  still  untouched, 
and  thus  £11,330  was  added  to  the  fund.  A  special 
effort  was  then  made  to  collect  subscriptions,  and  in 
this  way  £7,330  was  added.  The  London  Sustentation 
Fund  Committee  gave  the  handsome  donation  of 
£2,000  ;  so  that  altogether  a  capital  sum  was  realized 
of  about  £30,500.  The  interest  on  this  capital,  together 
with  annual  subscriptions,  and  a  grant  of  £1,000  a  year 
for  three  years  from  the  General  Sustentation  Fund,  not 
only  sufficed  for  the  proposed  stipend  of  £1,500  a  year, 
but  also  left  a  substantial  balance  to  accumulate  until 
the  bishopric  was  fully  endowed.  At  a  later  period 
another  special  effort  was  made,  and  the  whole  amount 
was  contributed. 

At  the  same  time  the  palace  and  demesne  at 
Ardbraccan  were  purchased  for  £10,325 .  It  was  intended 
to  make  an  effort  towards  raising  this  sum  as  soon  as 
the  endowment  of  the  bishopric  was  completed.  In 
the  meantime  the  bishop  was  charged  four  and  a 
quarter  per  cent,  on  this  purchase  money  as  rent. 
Bishop  Plunket  took  up  his  residence  at  the  palace, 
but  when  he  was  translated  to  Dublin,  it  was  felt  that 
the  house  was  unsuitable  to  the  reduced  income  of  the 
See,  and  eventually  it  was  sold  at  a  price  less  by 
£1,825  tnan  that  at  which  it  had  been  purchased.  The 
glebe-house  of  Ardbraccan  was  then  bought  from 
the  parish,  and  at  present,  under  the  name  of  Bishops- 
court,  forms  the  episcopal  residence. 

With  so  many  calls  on  the  liberality  of  the  churchmen 

VOL.    II.  O 


226  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

in  the  diocese,  it  might  well  be  supposed  that  other 
things  would  suffer.  This,  however,  was  by  no  means 
the  case.  In  the  Report  of  the  diocese  for  1877 
particulars  are  given  of  restorations  and  improvements 
in  different  churches,  amounting  to  considerably  more 
than  six  thousand  pounds,  and  in  the  following  year 
there  is  a  paragraph  which  tells  that— 

The  Council  are  happy  to  report  that  the  work  of  church 
building  and  church  restoration,  to  which  they  invited  special 
attention  last  year,  still  progresses  with  unabated  zeal.  Three 
new  churches  are  being  built  at  the  present  time  :  one  at  Durrow, 
at  the  sole  expense  of  the  Honourable  Otway  Toler  ;  one  at 
Moyliscar,  at  the  sole  expense  of  Mrs.  Tottenham  ;  and  one  at 
Syddan,  from  a  bequest  left  by  the  late  Miss  Ball.  At  Moydrum, 
a  church  has  been  built,  at  the  sole  expense  of  Lord  Castlemaine, 
as  a  domestic  chapel,  but  largely  attended  by  the  church 
people  of  the  surrounding  district,  as  well  as  by  members  of 
his  lordship's  household.  Moydrum  church  was  consecrated 
during  the  present  year. 

The  work  thus  begun  has  been  steadily  continued 
until  the  present  time,  and  it  may  now  be  said  that  there 
is  scarcely  a  church  in  the  diocese  which  has  not  been 
renovated  and  beautified  since  disestablishment— 
a  fact  which  may  be  taken  as  a  gratifying  indication 
that  that  event,  from  which  so  many  disasters  were 
anticipated,  has  not  in  any  way  robbed  the  Church 
of  its  life  and  viguor. 

New  troubles  arose  about  this  time  due  to  the  action 
of  the  Land  League  and  the  conspiracy  against  the 
payment  of  rent.  The  land-owning  class  were  zealous 

supporters  of  the  Church,  and  when  they  found  their 
incomes  reduced,  it  was  inevitable  that  the  Church 
should  suffer  from  their  loss.  In  1881  the  Diocesan 
Council  had  to  report  a  falling  off  of  £813  in  the  cash 
receipts  for  assessment,  and  commenting  on  this,  they 
say  : 

When  it  is  remembered  that  the  country  is  at  present 
passing  through  a  crisis  of  unexampled  severity,  affecting 


THE   FIRST  EPISCOPAL   ELECTION  227 

most  seriously  almost  every  class  in  the  community,  and  that 
the  class  which  has  suffered  most  severely  comprises  those 
who  have  been  hitherto  the  most  steady  and  liberal  supporters 
of  the  Church,  it  is  only  to  be  expected  that  we  should  feel 
the  effect  of  this  state  of  things  in  a  general  falling  off  in  the 
contributions.  It  is  also  to  be  feared  that  the  results  appearing 
in  the  present  report  are  not  the  worst  that  may  be 
anticipated. 

These  anticipations  were  justified,  for  in  the  next 
year  there  was  a  further  falling  off  of  £404,  but  the 
Council  give  it  then  as  their  opinion  that  "  the  crisis 
arising  out  of  the  Land  League  agitation  has  been  well 
nigh  passed,  and  that  we  may  now  look  forward  to 
a  general  though  gradual  improvement  in  the  condition 
of  the  country/'  This  forecast  also  proved  to  be 
correct,  for  in  the  next  year  there  was  a  small  increase 
in  the  receipts,  which  improvement  continued  until 
matters  righted  themselves ;  and  in  the  meantime  it 
was  a  matter  of  congratulation  that  in  no  case  had 
the  income  of  any  clergyman  to  be  reduced. 

The  effects  of  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country 
were  manifested  in  other  ways  besides  this  diminution 
in  subscriptions.  Many  spoke  of  leaving  the  country, 
and  there  was  a  fear  that  there  would  be  a  large 
exodus  of  the  wealthier  class  of  people.  Bishop  Plunket, 
both  in  public  and  in  private,  did  his  best  to  dissuade 
people  from  doing  what  he  regarded  as  an  act  of 
desertion.  He  was  an  ardent  patriot,  and  he  held  that 
it  was  the  duty  of  every  loyalist  to  remain  at  his  post, 
quoting  with  effect  the  words  of  the  psalmist  :  "  Put 
thou  thy  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  be  doing  good :  dwell 
in  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."  One  of 
his  best  known  poems  was  on  this  subject,  and  a  couple 
of  stanzas  from  it  may  fitly  close  this  chapter  : — 

From  Irish  soil  you  love  to  roam, 

But  let  me  just  remind  you, 
You'll  nowhere  find  a  happier  home 

Than  what  you  leave  behind  you. 


228  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF  MEATH 

The   world  explore  from  shore  to  shore, 
'Twill  be  a  vain  endeavour  : 

On  scenes  so  bright  you'll  never  light, 
Oh  never — never — never. 


And  now,  my  friends,  go  if  you  will, 

And  visit  other  nations, 
But  leave  your  hearts  in  Erin  still, 

Among  your  poor  relations. 
The  spot  of  earth  that  gave  you  birth, 

Resolve  to  love  for  ever  ; 
And  you'll  repent  that  good  intent, 

Oh  never — never — never. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

BISHOPS  REICHEL  AND  PEACOCKE. 

IN  1884  Lord  Plunket  was  elected  to  the  Archbishopric 

of  Dublin,  and  thereby  the  Bishopric  of  Meath  was 

rendered   once    more  vacant.     The    Diocesan    Synod 

accordingly  met  on  Wednesday,  the  fourth  of  February, 

1883,  for  the  election  of  a  new  bishop.      After  the  first 

voting  it  was  found  that  three  names  were  to  be  placed 

on  the  select  list.       These  were  the  Very  Reverend 

Charles  Parsons  Reichel,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise  ;  the 

Reverend  Joseph  S.    Bell,  Rector  of  Kells  ;  and  the 

Reverend  Canon  Wynne,  Incumbent  of  Saint  Matthias's 

Church,   Dublin,   and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Killaloe. 

The  first  two  were  beneficed  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 

and  were  well  known  throughout  the  whole  Church  of 

Ireland  as  preachers  of  more  than  ordinary  ability. 

Canon  Wynne  was  also  equally  well  known  as  incumbent 

of  an  important  Dublin  church.       In  the  subsequent 

voting  it  became  evident  that  the  choice  lay  between 

Doctor  Reichel  and   Doctor  Bell,  but  neither  of  them 

was  able  to  obtain  the  majority  of  two-thirds,  which 

is  necessary  to  secure  an  election.       The  matter  was 

therefore  referred  to  the  bench  of  bishops  for  decision. 

Before  the  bishops  sat  for  this  purpose,  an  objection 

was  made  against  the  proceedings,  on  the  ground  that 

the  name  of  Canon  Wynne  should  have  been  submitted 

to  the  Synod,  and  a  vote  taken  as  to  whether  his  name 

should  be  included  in  the  list  from  which  the  bishops 


230  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

were  to  make  their  choice.  This  objection  was  upheld 
by  the  Court  of  the  General  Synod,  and  accordingly 
the  Synod  had  to  meet  again,  which  it  did  on  the 
fifteenth  of  June.  Again  it  was  found  impossible  to 
obtain  a  two-thirds  majority  for  any  one  candidate, 
but  on  this  occasion  only  the  names  of  Dean  Reichel 
and  Canon  Bell  were  placed  on  the  select  list,  and  from 
these  two  the  bishops  were  asked  to  make  a  choice. 
The  prelates  met  on  the  nineteenth  of  August,  and 
elected  Dean  Reichel,  who  was  accordingly  consecrated 
in  Saint  Patrick's  Cathedral,  Dublin,  on  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  the  following  September. 

The  new  bishop  was  son  of  a  Moravian  clergyman, 
and  was  born  in  1816.  He  was  educated  partly  in  the 
University  of  Berlin,  and  partly  in  Trinity  College, 
Dublin.  In  the  latter  place  he  had  a  distinguished 
career,  and  soon  became  the  best  classical  scholar  of  his 
class.  He  had  some  thoughts  of  reading  for  a  fellow- 
ship, but  relinquished  the  idea,  and  took  Holy  Orders, 
being  ordained  for  the  curacy  of  Saint  Mary's  Church, 
in  Dublin.  There  he  continued  for  four  years,  until, 
in  1850,  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Latin  in  Queen's 
College,  Belfast.  In  1864  he  entered  the  Diocese  of 
Meath,  being  appointed  to  the  Vicarage  of  Mullingar. 
From  that  he  passed,  in  1875,  to  the  Incumbency  of 
Trim,  becoming  at  the  same  time  Archdeacon  of  Meath. 
In  1878  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Ecclesiastical 
History  in  Trinity  College,  an  office  which  he  held  along 
with  his  incumbency,  and  in  1882  he  became  Dean  of 
Clonmacnoise.  He  was  also  Canon  of  Saint  Patrick's 
Cathedral,  being  the  first  representative  canon  for 
Meath.  Thus  he  had  been  for  more  than  twenty  years 
associated  with  the  diocese  before  he  was  called  on  to 
undertake  the  responsible  office  of  its  bishop. 

The  memory  of  Bishop  Reichel  is  still  so  fresh  in  the 


BISHOPS   REICHEL  AND    PEACOCKE  23! 

minds  of  many  that  little  need  here  be  said  about  his 
character  and  attainments.  As  a  scholar,  he  had  few 
equals  in  the  Irish  Church  at  the  time,  and  in  the 
subjects  in  which  he  had  specialized — some  branches 
of  liturgical  study,  for  example — he  was  without  a 
rival.  As  a  preacher,  too,  he  stood  alone.  He  never 
preached  without  his  manuscript,  and  he  accompanied 
the  reading  with  no  action  whatever  ;  there  was  a 
singular  absence  of  anything  that  could  be  called 
"  flowers  of  rhetoric  ;  "  but  every  sentence  was  terse 
and  forceful,  and  his  voice  was  of  such  clearness  and 
penetration  that  not  a  word  was  lost.  He  often  chose 
the  evidences  of  Christianity  as  the  subject  of  his 
discourses,  and  in  such  cases  the  argument  was  clearly 
stated  and  driven  home  with  irresistible  force.  In 
controversy  he  was  what  would  be  called  a  hard  hitter, 
and  he  left  on  many  the  impression  that  his  words  were 
always  bitter  and  cutting.  All  those  who  were 
acquainted  with  the  man  in  his  private  life,  knew  that 
he  was  the  very  opposite  of  all  this.  He  was  full  of 
kindness,  with  a  heart  easily  touched,  and  a  ready  hand 
to  help  those  who  were  in  need. 

While  the  diocese  was  still  vacant,  the  Bench  of 
Bishops  met,  and  by  a  unanimous  vote  determined 
that  Meath  should  be  deprived  of  the  precedence 
which  had  been  accorded  to  her  in  former  times.  The 
Bishop  of  Meath  always  ranked  next  to  the  archbishops, 
and  was  styled  "  Most  Reverend,"  whereas  the  other 
bishops  were  styled  "  Right  Reverend."  This 
distinction  was  observed  in  the  Irish  Church  Act  of 
1869,  but  in  1885  a  new  rule  of  precedence  was  issued 
from  Dublin  Castle  which  directed  that  in  future  "  all 
Archbishops  of  the  Protestant  Episcopalian  Church 
in  Ireland,  and  all  Roman  Catholic  Archbishops  in 
Ireland,"  were  to  take  rank  according  to  the  dates 


232  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

of  consecration  or  translation,  and  that  similarly  all 
bishops  of  either  church  were  to  have  precedence 
according  to  date  of  consecration. 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  a  document  like 
this,  which  gave  to  the  Church  of  Ireland  the  un- 
authorized title  of  "Protestant  Episcopalian  Church," 
would  be  ignored  by  the  bishops  in  any  action  in  which 
they  had  unfettered  liberty,  but  they  do  not  seem  to 
have  looked  on  it  in  this  light,  and  accordingly,  in  the 
General  Synod  of  1885,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
made  the  following  communication  from  the  bench  of 
Bishops  :  "  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  having  regulated 
the  Court  precedence  of  the  prelates  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland,  inter  se,  the  archbishops  and  bishops  have 
passed  the  following  resolution  in  reference  to  the 
ecclesiastical  precedence  of  the  future  Bishops  of 
Meath  : — '  That  in  future  the  Bishops  of  Meath  shall 
rank  next  in  ecclesiastical  precedence  amongst  the 
bishops  according  to  the  date  of  their  consecration, 
and  that  the  style  of  the  Bishops  of  Meath  shall  be 
similar  to  the  style  of  the  other  bishops  of  the  Church 
of  Ireland.'  '  The  archbishop  went  on  to  say  that  the 
resolution  did  not  emanate  from  himself.  "  It  might 
seem  very  ungrateful,  but  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  if  ever  there  was  such  a  change,  the  present,  when 
the  See  was  vacant,  was  the  proper  time  to  make  it." 
The  Bishop  of  Down  and  Connor  followed,  and  he,  too, 
disclaimed  responsibility  for  the  resolution,  though  he 
had  supported  it.  He  said  that  the  Lord  Primate 
had  written  to  him  on  the  subject,  stating  "  I  heartily 
agree  with  the  enclosed  resolution,  which  puts  an  end 
to  what  will  be  found  an  anomaly — the  inconvenience 
without  any  counterbalancing  advantage  whatever." 

The  following  statement,  drawn  up  in  1876  by  Sir 
J.  Bernard  Burke,  Ulster  King  at  Arms,  will  show  the 


BISHOPS   REICHEL   AND   PEACOCKE  233 

historical    grounds    on    which    the    claim    of    Meath 
rested  : 

Anciently  Meath  was  one  of  the  five  provinces,  and?the 
seat  of  the  chief  monarch  of  Ireland.  In  1152,  Cardinal 
Paparo,  Legate  a  latere,  brought  over  four  palliums,  and 
assigned  one  to  each  of  the  four  bishops,  Armagh,  Dublin, 
Cashel,  and  Tuam,  erecting  those  Sees  into  archbishoprics. 
As  some  consolation  to  Meath,  and  in  recognition  of  the  former 
royal  eminence  of  that  province,  the  Bishop  of  Meath  was 
styled  Most  Reverend,  and  given  the  first  place  among  bishops — 
primus  inter  pares.  De  Burgho,  in  his  Hibernia  Dominica, 
says,  "  Episcopus  Midensis  primus  semper  est  Provincial 
Armachanse  suffraganeus,  quanquam  enim  inter  caeteros 
Hiberniat  Episcopos  esset  consecratione  junior  eos  nihilominus 
loco  precederet." 

At  the  Reformation,  the  Protestant  Church  found  the 
Bishop  of  Meath  accorded  the  first  place  among  bishops,  and  has 
ever  since  allowed  that  pre-eminence  to  the  See.  The  Church 
Disestablishment  Act  of  1871  interferes  in  no  way  with 
ecclesiastical  pre-eminence,  but  while  severing  the  link  between 
Church  and  State,  has  simply  disallowed  a  precedence  derived 
from  the  state  connection  to  prelates  of  the  Irish  Church 
consecrated  after  the  passing  of  the  Act.  Consequently, 
in  state  ceremonials  and  in  social  meetings,  a  bishop  of  the 
Irish  Church,  who  was  such  at  the  time  of  the  passing  of  the 
Act,  would,  however  junior  in  ecclesiastical  rank,  have 
precedence ;  but  not  so  ecclesiastically.  In  all  church 
congresses,  and  on  all  ecclesiastical  occasions,  the  Bishop  of 
Meath,  however  junior  in  his  consecration,  is  still  clearly 
entitled  to  the  same  pre-eminence  as  ever.  He  is,  as  he  always 
has  been,  primus  inter  pares  among  Irish  bishops. 

Bishop  Reichel  was  not  the  man  who  would,  without 
protest,  relinquish  any  of  the  ancient  rights  and 
prerogatives  of  his  See.  "  He  had  the  dislike  of  a 
student  of  history  for  that  kind  of  reform  which 
proceeds  from  a  mere  passion  for  symmetry."  T  He 
was  no  sooner  consecrated  than  he  raised  his  voice 
against  this  action  of  the  bishops,  in  which  he 

1  Memoir. 


234  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   HEATH 

maintained  they  had  exceeded  their  power,  and  he 
demanded  that  the  matter  should  be  tried  before  a 
properly  constituted  tribunal.  The  clergy  and  laity 
of  the  diocese  backed  him  up  in  his  contention,  and 
in  the  Synod  of  1885  passed  the  following  resolution  : 

That  the  clerical  and  lay  members  of  the  Meath  Diocesan 
Synod  most  respectfully  refuse  to  accept  the  resolution  passed 
by  the  archbishops  and  bishops  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  and 
communicated  to  the  General  Synod  at  its  last  meeting, 
purporting  to  deprive  the  Bishops  of  Meath  of  the  precedence 
within  the  Church  which  they  have  continuously  enjoyed  for 
more  than  five  centuries,  and  to  which  they  are  entitled  as  a 
matter  of  right. 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  bishops,  which  was 
held  on  the  third  of  December,  1885,  Bishop  Reichel 
carried  his  point,  and  the  following  resolution  was 
passed  : 

That  it  be  referred  to  the  Court  of  the  General  Synod,  in 
accordance  with  sec.  3,  c.  2,  of  the  Statutes  of  the  General 
Synod,  1885,  to  determine,  in  the  event  of  a  vacancy  in  the 
Archiepiscopal  See  of  Armagh,  who  shall  be  entitled  to  convene 
the  Diocesan  Synod  of  Armagh  and  Clogher,  and  to  preside 
at  the  same,  as  being  the  person  for  the  time  being  authorized 
to  convene  the  Diocesan  Synod,  cap.  v.,  sec.  i,  and  cap.  ii., 
sec.  26.  Statutes  General  Synod  ;  and  to  advise  the  archbishops 
and  bishops  as  to  what  precedence  the  Bishop  of  Meath  is 
entitled  to  as  regards  the  other  bishops  of  the  Church  of 
Ireland. 

In  accordance  with  this  resolution,  the  Court  of  the 
General  Synod  assembled  on  the  eleventh  of  January, 
1886.  The  sitting  members  were  the  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  the  Bishop  of  Limerick,  the  Right  Honourable 
Lord  Chief  Justice  Fitzgibbon,  the  Honourable  John 
Fitzhenry  Townsend,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty, 
and  the  Honourable  Sterne  Ball  Miller,  Judge  of  the 


BISHOPS   REICHEL  AND   PEACOCKE  235 

Court  of  Bankruptcy.  After  hearing  the  arguments 
of  Counsel,  the  court  gave  its  decision  in  favour  of 
Doctor  Reichel's  contention,  and  made  the  following 
order  : 

Upon  vacancy  of  the  See  of  Armagh,  the  Bishop  of  Meath 
is,  by  the  Constitution  of  the  Church  of  Ireland,  entitled  to 
convene  the  Diocesan  Synod  of  Armagh  and  Clogher,  and  to 
preside  at  the  same,  or  to  appoint  a  commissary  so  to  do, 
as  being  the  bishop  of  the  province  first  in  order  of  precedence, 
and  as  such  the  person  for  the  time  being  authorized  to  convene 
the  Diocesan  Synod. 

The  Bishop  of  Meath  for  the  time  being  is  entitled  to 
precedence  among  the  Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  the  Church 
of  Ireland  next  after  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and  before  the 
other  bishops  of  the  said  Church. 

Thus  the  ancient  prerogatives  of  the  See  were 
secured,  and  the  position  of  Meath  as  the  premier 
diocese  in  Ireland  was  established. 

The  Board  of  Education  for  the  Diocese  of  Meath 
was  established  in  1890.  For  two  or  three  years 
previously  the  matter  had  been  discussed  between 
the  heads  of  the  diocese  and  the  Judicial  Commissioners 
constituted  by  the  Educational  Endowments  Act,  1885, 
and  the  negotiations  resulted  in  an  Order  of  Council, 
by  which  the  new  board  was  formed.  It  was  to  consist 
of  the  Bishop,  Dean,  and  Archdeacon,  as  ex  officio 
members,  together  with  four  clergymen  and  six  laymen, 
elected  by  the  Diocesan  Synod,  and  additional  co-opted 
governors,  not  exceeding  five  in  number.  Their  trust 
was  to  hold  and  apply  endowments  for  elementary  and 
intermediate  education  in  the  diocese,  to  promote 
technical  instruction,  and  to  promote  and  encourage 
religious,  education.  The  Board  took  over  the 
administration  of  the  funds  of  the  Preston  School  at 
Navan,  together  with  some  other  less  important 
endowments,  and  became  trustees  of  all  the  school 


236  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

buildings  in  the  diocese.  At  present  it  also 
administers  the  funds  contributed  through  the  diocese 
for  the  promotion  of  religious  education,  arranges 
for  the  annual  examinations  in  Scripture  and  Church 
formularies,  and  provides  result  fees  for  the  teachers. 

About  this  time  two  large  bequests  were  left  to  the 
diocese  for  the  benefit  of  poor  parishes.  Mr.  Morgan, 
of  Navan,  left  a  sum  which  yields  about  £350  per  annum, 
and  Miss  Bolton,  of  Bective,  left  money  and  property 
which  gives  a  yearly  income  of  over  £200.  Mr.  T.  P. 
Cairnes,  the  financial  secretary  of  the  diocese,  added 
to  these  bequests  a  sum  of  £2,829,  yielding  £101  per 
annum,  and  drew  up  a  scheme  by  which,  from  these 
three  funds,  the  income  of  every  parish  not  exceeding 
£200  in  value  was  increased  by  ten  per  cent. 

During  the  whole  of  Doctor  Reichel's  episcopacy 
he  was  more  or  less  in  feeble  health.  He  had  frequent 
attacks  of  gout,  and  every  winter  seemed  to  bring  with 
it  severe  bronchitis  or  pneumonia.  Towards  the  end, 
these  attacks  increased  in  intensity,  and  in  1894  he 
passed  away  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of  his  age. 
His  friend,  Canon  MacDonnell,  of  Peterborough,  wrote 
of  him  : 

To  those  who  knew  Doctor  Reichel  from  his  early  days, 
and  the  intense  piety  and  high  motives  which  influenced  him, 
it  was  a  pleasure  to  see  that,  as  years  passed,  he  was  better 
understood  and  appreciated.  Now  that  his  race  is  run  and 
his  work  finished,  what  Irish  churchman  does  not  feel  proud 
of  him  as  one  who  adorned  and  did  honour  to  the  Church  of 
which  he  was  a  prelate  ?  In  quieter  times  and  in  the  evening 
of  his  days  those  qualities  shone  out  that  were  partially 
obscured  in  the  dust  of  controversy  and  the  party  struggles 
of  the  Irish  Synods.  Even  at  his  advanced  age  of  seventy- 
seven  the  Church  can  ill  spare  such  a  man.  Like  the  blaze  of 
golden  light  that  follows  the  actual  setting  of  the  sun,  the  true 
greatness  of  the  man  will  be  more  seen  when  all  clouds  of 
prejudice  have  been  dispersed  by  death.  Among  his  intimate 


BISHOPS   REICHEL   AND    PEACOCKE  237 

friends  the  Bishop  of  Meath's  death  leaves  a  blank  which  the 
outside   public  can  never  understand.2 

For  the  third  time  now  since  disestablishment,  the 
Diocese  of  Meath  was  called  on  to  elect  a  bishop. 
It  accordingly  met  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  April,  1894. 
Just  on  the  eve  of  the  Synod  the  diocese  sustained 
another  great  loss  in  the  death  of  Mr.  T.  P.  Cairnes,  who 
had  filled  the  office  of  financial  secretary  from  the  time 
of  the  re-organization  of  the  Church.  As  a  financier 
he  had  few  equals  in  Ireland,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
trusted  advisers  of  the  Representative  Church  Body. 
To  the  Diocese  of  Meath  he  gave  his  very  best  energies 
and  ability,  and  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her 
finances  placed  on  a  sound  basis,  and  their  reliability 
abundantly  proved,  before  his  death.  We  have  already 
seen  something  of  his  liberality,  but  it  was  shown,  not 
merely  in  large  gifts,  such  as  that  which  has  been 
noticed,  but  in  the  help  which  he  constantly  gave  to 
poor  and  struggling  parishes,  where  he  knew  that  the 
people  had  difficulty  in  keeping  up  their  assessments. 
In  his  own  town  of  Drogheda  he  has  left  an  enduring 
memorial  in  the  dwellings  provided  by  his  liberality 
for  the  working  classes.  When  the  Synod  assembled 
for  the  election  of  a  bishop,  the  first  business  done  was 
to  pass  the  following  resolution  : 

That  we,  the  Synod  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath,  desire  to 
express  in  the  strongest  manner  our  very  deep  sense  of  the 
irreparable  loss  which  our  diocese  has  sustained  in  the  death 
of  its  Honorary  Financial  Secretary,  Thomas  Plunket  Cairnes, 
Esq.,  who,  for  a  period  of  twenty-four  years  conducted  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  diocese  with  consummate  ability  and 
unwearied  assiduity.  We  also  desire  to  make  mention  of  the 
munificent  liberality  which  from  the  very  first  characterized 
all  our  late  Honorary  Secretary's  dealings  with  the  diocese. 
We  feel  that  his  loss  is  not  confined  to  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 

a  Memoir. 


238  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   HEATH 

but  that  it  is  one  in  which  the  whole  Church  of  Ireland  is 
concerned.  We  also  desire  to  convey  to  Mrs.  Cairnes  and  his 
family  the  expression  of  our  deepest  sympathy  with  them  in 
the  very  deep  affliction  which  has  so  unexpectedly  befallen 
them. 


The  Synod  then  proceeded  to  the  election  for  which 
it  had  been  called  together,  and  a  select  list  was 
formed,  consisting  of  the  names  of  Canon  Peacocke, 
Rector  of  Monkstown  in  the  Diocese  of  Dublin  ;  Canon 
Keene,  Rector  of  Navan  ;  and  the  Very  Reverend 
Hercules  H.  Dickenson,  Dean  of  the  Chapel  Royal, 
and  son  of  a  former  Bishop  of  Meath.  There  was 
considerable  difficulty  in  coming  to  a  conclusion,  as  the 
clergy  and  laity  could  not  agree  as  to  which  name 
should  be  supported,  but  in  the  end  all  three  names 
were  submitted  to  the  bench  of  bishops,  and  the  choice 
of  the  prelates  fell  on  Canon  Peacocke,  who  was 
accordingly  consecrated  on  the  eleventh  of  June,  1894, 
in  the  Cathedral  of  Armagh. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  speak  of  Bishop  Peacocke, 
as  he  is  still  amongst  us,  worthily  presiding  over  the 
Archdiocese  of  Dublin,  to  which  he  was  elected  three 
years  later.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  during  his  short  stay 
in  Meath  he  displayed  those  remarkable  powers  of 
organization  which  he  had  displayed  as  a  parish 
clergyman,  both  at  Saint  George's,  Dublin,  and  also 
at  Monkstown.  He  was  quickly  winning  the  confidence 
of  both  clergy  and  laity  when  he  was  translated  to  the 
higher  office  which  he  now  fills  so  well. 

The  last  time  that  he  presided  at  the  Diocesan 
Council  was  on  the  ninth  of  June,  1897,  and  on  that 
occasion  the  following  resolution  was  passed  : 

That  the  members  of  the  Meath  Diocesan  Council  cannot 
separate  without  leaving  on  record  their  feeling  of  regret  that 


BISHOPS   REICHEL   AND    PEACOCKE  239 

this  is  the  last  occasion  on  which  they  shall  be  presided  over 
by  their  beloved  and  respected  bishop.  While  they  most 
heartily  congratulate  His  Grace  on  his  promotion  to  the 
arduous  position  to  which  he  has  been  called,  and  pray  that 
he  may  be  long  spared  to  preside  over  the  Archdiocese  of 
Dublin,  they  desire  to  express  their  sense  of  the  loss  which 
they  have  sustained,  and  to  assure  His  Grace  that  their  best 
wishes  go  with  him  in  his  removal  from  the  diocese.3 

3  Minutes  of  the  Diocesan  Council  of  Meath. 


CHAPTER  XLIL 
A  FINAL  RETROSPECT. 

MEATH  has  had  more  experience  of  episcopal  elections 
than  any  other  diocese  in  Ireland.  On  the  translation 
of  Doctor  Peacocke  to  the  See  of  Dublin  she  was  called 
on  for  the  fourth  time  to  elect  a  bishop.  Again  it 
was  found  impossible  to  obtain  a  two-thirds  majority 
for  any  one  name,  and  accordingly  two  names  were 
sent  up  to  the  Bench  of  Bishops  by  the  Synod  which 
met  on  the  tenth  of  August,  1897.  These  were  the 
Reverend  Canon  Keene,  Rector  of  Navan,  and  the 
Reverend  Doctor  Bernard,  Archbishop  King's  Professor 
of  Divinity  in  Trinity  College.  Of  these  Canon  Keene 
was  chosen,  and  he  was  accordingly  consecrated  at 
Armagh  on  the  seventeenth  of  October  in  the  same 
year.  He  still  presides  over  the  See  in  which  most 
of  his  ministerial  life  has  been  spent,  and  it  is  the  prayer 
of  his  many  friends  that  he  may  be  long  spared  to  fill 
that  exalted  position.  It  would  be  out  of  place  to 
speak  of  his  qualifications  or  character.  It  may  suffice 
to  say  that  his  college  record  has  rarely  been  equalled, 
and  that  the  range  of  subjects  in  which  he  distinguished 
himself  shows  a  versatility  of  powers  which  few  can 
boast.  He  obtained  the  highest  distinctions  in  every 
subject  that  he  studied,  and  these  included  Classics, 
Mathematics,  Ethics,  Hebrew,  and  Divinity.  No 
further  explanation  need  be  desired  of  the  fact  that 
the  clergy,  almost  unanimously,  and  the  laity,  by  a  large 
majority,  wished  to  have  him  as  their  bishop. 


A    FINAL   RETROSPECT  24! 

The  events  of  Bishop  Keene's  episcopate  are  so 
recent,  that  only  a  few  need  here  be  recorded.  The 
most  important,  from  the  financial  point  of  view,  was 
the  formation  of  what  is  known  as  the  "  Supplemental 
Scheme."  The  funds  which  were  available  for  this 
purpose  were  the  profits  of  commutation,  and  how 
these  profits  arose  has  been  already  explained.  In 
1895  it  was  found  that  the  interest  on  the  commutation 
capital  was  sufficient  to  pay  the  annuities  that  were 
still  remaining,  and  the  year  following  there  was  a 
balance  of  £484.  The  time  had  come,  therefore,  when 
this  fund  could  be  dealt  with,  and  the  interest,  as  it 
became  available  by  the  death  of  annuitants,  applied 
for  the  benefit  of  the  diocese.  The  matter  was 
accordingly  taken  in  hand  by  the  Diocesan  Council, 
and  after  much  consideration  a  scheme  was  drawn 
up,  and  submitted  to  the  synod  which  met  on  the 
twenty-sixth  of  August,  1899.  The  capital  that  would 
be  eventually  available  amounted  to  £73,831,  and  the 
interest  on  this  came  to  £2,570  a  year.  As  amended 
by  the  synod,  and  with  some  subsequent  modifications, 
the  Supplemental  Scheme  provides  that  out  of  this 
interest  the  ten  senior  clergymen  in  the  diocese  are  to 
receive  an  addition  to  their  salaries  of  £30  a  year  each. 
The  next  ten  in  order  of  seniority  receive  £20,  and  the 
next  twenty  £15.  The  Rural  Deans  receive  a  stipend 
of  £10  a  year  each ;  £700  a  year  is  credited  to  the 
Superannuation  Fund  ;  £200  to  the  Supplemental  Fund, 
and  the  remainder  allowed  to  accumulate  as  a  reserve 
fund  for  future  contingencies.  The  first  of  these 
provisions,  it  will  be  observed,  secures  that  a  clergyman 
who  never  gets  promotion  beyond  a  parish  with  the 
minimum  income  of  £200  a  year,  is  secure  of  obtaining 
in  addition  £20  a  year  from  the  Bolton,  Morgan,  and 
Cairnes  Funds,  £12  as  a  bonus  under  the  Financial 

VOL.   II.  R 


242  HISTORY   OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

Scheme,  and  £30  from  the  Supplemental  Scheme, 
making  in  all  £262 — not  a  very  princely  income,  it 
is  true,  but  fair  enough  when  it  is  remembered  that 
this  is  the  minimum,  and  that  considerably  more  than 
half  the  parishes  in  the  diocese  would  yield  a  larger 
stipend. 

The  Supplemental  Scheme  too,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Central  Superannuation  Fund  of  the  Representative 
Church  Body,  enables  the  diocese  to  give  a  retiring 
allowance  to  those  clergymen  who  are  disabled  by  age 
or  infirmity,  the  amount  being  calculated  on  the  same 
principle  as  is  adopted  by  the  government  for  the 
superannuation  of  civil  servants,  namely,  one-sixtieth 
of  the  income  at  retirement  for  every  year  served, 
with  a  maximum  of  two-thirds. 

In  the  first  report  issued  after  the  consecration  of 
Bishop  Keene,  three  deaths  are  noted  of  prominent 
workers  in  the  diocese.  These  are  Mr.  Robert  Fowler, 
Archdeacon  Nugent, and  the  Reverend  Alfred  T.  Harvey, 
Rector  of  Athboy.  Mr.  Fowler  was  one  of  the  orginal 
members  of  the  Diocesan  Council  when  it  was  first 
constituted,  and  for  many  years  had  served  as  treasurer 
for  the  eastern  portion  of  the  diocese.  He  co-operated 
ably  with  Mr.  T.  P.  Cairnes  in  the  drawing  up  of  the 
Financial  Scheme  and  in  the  subsequent  carrying  out 
of  its  provisions.  Alike  in  the  Council  and  in  the  synod 
his  word  always  carried  the  greatest  weight,  for  it  was 
felt  that  reliance  could  always  be  placed  on  his  wisdom 
and  judgment.  Archdeacon  Nugent  held  the  office 
of  Honorary  Clerical  Secretary  from  the  time  of 
disestablishment.  He  was  a  man  of  great  business 
capacity,  and  became  the  trusted  adviser  and  friend 
of  each  successive  bishop.  He  was  a  ripe  scholar 
and  to  the  end  of  his  days  a  diligent  student,  yet  of  such 
a  quiet  and  retiring  disposition  that  few  beyond  his 


A   FINAL   RETROSPECT  243 

intimate  friends  were  aware  of  the  extent  of  his  powers. 
He  was  appointed  Archdeacon  of  Meath  by  Bishop 
Plunket  in  1882,  and  became  Rector  of  Trim  in  1892. 
The  Reverend  Alfred  T.  Harvey  was  best  known  in 
connection  with  the  Church  Choral  Union,  which  he 
was  instrumental  in  founding  when  serving  as  Curate 
of  Trim.  In  later  years  he  acted  as  secretary  of  the 
Union,  and  arranged  for  the  Choral  Festivals  which 
were  held  every  year.  He  was  also  Diocesan  Secretary 
for  Meath  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  and  was  Secretary  of  the  Diocesan  Committee 
of  Missions  and  Charities.  To  the  regret  of  all  his 
friends  he  was  carried  away  by  a  painful  disease  at  a 
comparatively  early  age. 

The  Diocesan  Report  for  1897,  commenting  on 
these  three  deaths,  says  : 

The  year  has  thus  been  one  in  which  the  diocese  has  suffered 
serious  loss  by  the  death  of  old  and  valued  workers.  It  must, 
however,  be  a  matter  of  thankfulness  that  these  wise  and 
efficient  labourers  were  spared  to  us  until  the  work  of  re- 
construction consequent  on  disestablishment  had  been  almost 
completed,  and  the  Council  feel  that  the  satisfactory  reports 
which  they  are  able  to  offer  year  after  year  are  largely  due  to 
the  energies  of  men  who  are  no  longer  with  us.  They  have 
been  taken  away,  but  their  work  remains,  and  it  is  now  for  us 
to  carry  on  and  perfect  that  which  they  have  so  well  begun. 

These  words  express  well  the  spirit  in  which  we 
should  think  of  those  men  who,  by  their  liberality  and 
ability  did  so  much  for  the  diocese  in  the  time  of  trial, 
and  they  form  a  suitable  introduction  to  a  few 
reminiscences  which  may  here  be  given  of  some  of  those 
of  the  clergy  and  laity  whose  names  ought  not  to  be 
forgotten. 

Mention  must  first  be  made  of  Mr.  W.  Barlow 
Smythe,  of  Barbavilla.  He  was  present  at  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Diocesan  Council,  and  for  many  years 


244  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

was  one  of  the  most  regular  attendants.  He  was  the 
first  lay  Diocesan  Nominator,  was  one  of  the  Diocesan 
Trustees,  and  a  member  of  the  Diocesan  Court.  His 
connection  with  the  diocese  was  brought  to  an  end  in 
a  tragic  way.  It  was  in  the  days  of  Land  League 
troubles,  and  one  Sunday,  as  he  was  returning  from 
church,  a  shot  was  fired  at  his  carriage.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  it  was  intended  for  Mr.  Smythe,  but  it 
struck  a  lady  who  was  in  the  carriage  with  him,  who 
was  killed  on  the  spot.  As  a  result,  Mr.  Smythe  left  the 
country,  and  resigned  all  the  offices  which  he  held  in  con- 
nection with  the  diocese.  On  receiving  his  resignation, 
the  Diocesan  Council  passed  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolved,  that  we  learn  with  very  sincere  regret  that  W.  B. 
Smythe,  Esq.,  has  resigned  all  the  offices  which  he  held  in 
connection  with  the  diocese  for  so  many  years,  and  the  duties 
of  which  he  discharged  with  so  much  zeal,  efficiency,  and 
advantage  to  the  best  interests  of  the  Church  in  the  diocese. 
We  desire  further,  to  express  our  deep  abhorrence  of  the 
deplorable  event  which  makes  it  impossible  for  him  to  reside 
with  safety  on  his  estate. 

This  was  passed  on  the  tenth  of  January,  1883, 
and  it  reveals  in  a  very  striking  way  the  dangers  which 
were  at  that  time  confronting  alike  the  Church  and 
the  Country. 

Another  name  prominently  associated  with  the 
work  of  the  diocese  was  that  of  Major  Dalton,  of  Kelts, 
who  also  was  a  member  of  the  first  Diocesan  Council. 
He  was  an  indefatigable  worker,  and  took  a  lively 
interest  in  the  Bible  Society,  especially  in  the  Meath 
branch,  which  employed  colporteurs  to  work  in  different 
parts  of  the  diocese.  The  Honourable  Robert  J. 
Handcock,  of  Athlone,  was  another  member  of  the 
original  council,  and  for  many  years  acted  as  Diocesan 
Treasurer  for  the  Westmeath  district.  He  seldom 
took  part  in  debate,  but  he  was  one  of  the  most  regular 


A   FINAL    RETROSPECT  245 

attendants  at  the  meetings,  and  transacted  much  of  the 
financial  business.  His  successor  in  the  office  of 
Diocesan  Treasurer,  Mr.  Edward  Dames  Longworth, 
has  also,  quite  lately,  passed  from  us,  his  life,  which 
promised  so  much  of  usefulness,  being  cut  off  un- 
expectedly in  its  prime.  Other  names  that  should 
be  mentioned  are  Doctor  Joly,  by  whose  liberality 
the  parish  of  Castlejordan  has  been  endowed,  Mr. 
Richard  Chaloner,  Mr.  John  Tisdall,  Judge  Gamble, 
Colonel  Cooper,  Mr.  G.  A.  Rochfort  Boyd,  and  Mr. 
J.  L.  Naper.  There  are  many  others  that  might 
be  noted,  for  there  is  scarcely  a  parish  in  the  diocese 
that  has  not  had  some  who  have  rendered  conspicuous 
service  to  the  Church.  As  we  look  back  on  those  years 
since  disestablishment  we  may  say  of  the  churchmen 
of  Meath  as  a  body  that  they  were  men  of  whom  any 
diocese  might  be  proud. 

Among  the  clergy,  too,  there  are  names  that 
deserve  remembrance.  The  Reverend  Canon  Bell, 
Rector  of  Kells,  and  his  brother,  the  Reverend  James 
A.  Bell,  Rector  of  Banagher,  were  both  remarkable  men. 
Of  Canon  Bell  we  have  already  seen  that  his  was  one 
of  the  names  put  forward  when  the  bishopric  was 
vacant,  and  the  position  which  he  held  in  the  diocese 
may  be  judged  from  the  number  of  votes  cast  in  his 
favour,  even  when  against  such  a  formidable  rival 
as  Bishop  Reichel.  He  was  in  his  day  one  of  the  best 
preachers  in  the  Irish  Church.  Shortly  after  the 
episcopal  election  he  resigned  his  parish,  but  retained 
his  position  as  representative  Canon  in  Saint  Patrick's 
National  Cathedral.  In  his  last  days  he  suffered  much 
from  a  long  and  painful  illness,  which  he  bore  with 
wonderful  resignation  and  fortitude.  His  brother 
James  was  almost  equally  gifted  as  a  preacher,  and 
was  besides  a  brilliant  scholar.  He  left  the  diocese  to 


246  HISTORY  OF  THE   DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

take  up  work  in  England  under  the  London  Jews' 
Society.  In  the  succession  of  Deans — Brownlow, 
Reichel,  Swift,  Dowse,  and  Craig — we  have  men,  all 
of  whom  worked  well,  and  were  highly  esteemed  for 
their  work's  sake.  Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the 
Reverend  T.  G.  Caulfield,  Rector  of  Ballyloughloe, 
by  whose  liberality  that  parish  is  endowed  with  glebe 
lands  which  are  valued  at  fifty  pounds  a  year  ;  the 
Reverend  John  Westrop  Brady,  long  a  member  of  the 
Council ;  the  Reverend  Francis  Hopkins,  Rector  of 
Trim ;  the  Reverend  Duncan  Brownlow,  Rector  of 
Donaghpatrick,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Harvey  as 
secretary  of  the  Church  Choral  Union,  and  was,  besides, 
secretary  of  the  Meath  Protestant  Orphan  Society  ; 
the  Reverend  Frederick  W.  Wetherell,  Rector  of 
Rathmolyon ;  the  Reverend  J.  H.  Davidson,  of 
Dunshaughlin,  and  many  others.  Nor  can  we  omit 
to  mention  one  who  has  been  recently  called  away, 
the  Reverend  Maxwell  Coote,  Rector  of  Killoughey. 
He  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  the  "  father  "  of  the 
diocese,  and  had  spent  the  most  of  his  ministerial  life 
in  Meath.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  liberality,  and 
during  his  lifetime  subscribed  regularly  to  many  poor 
parishes  in  his  own  immediate  neighbourhood.  By  his 
will  he  left  £2,000  for  the  endowment  of  his  own  parish 
of  Killoughey,  £1,000  to  Tullamore,  and  £1,000  to 
Bally  boy.  The  residue  of  his  estate,  which  it  is  expected 
will  reach  something  close  on  £30,000,  he  left  to  the 
poor  parishes  of  the  diocese  of  Meath,  being  the  largest 
benefaction  which  the  diocese  has  received  since  the 
time  of  disestablishment. 

Looking  back  on  these  years,  we  may  now  ask, 
what  is  the  progress  that  has  been  made  ?  But  when 
we  come  to  answer  this  question,  we  become  conscious 
of  the  fact  that  the  real  tokens  of  progress  are  of  a  kind 


A   FINAL   RETROSPECT  247 

that  cannot  be  tabulated.  y  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
does  not  come  with  observation,  and  hence  the 
historian  can  give  no  account  of  how  sinners  have  been 
led  to  Christ,  and  saints  have  been  strengthened,  and 
believers  have  been  built  up  in  their  most  holy  faith. 
These  are  things  that  are  known  to  the  great  Master  in 
Heaven,  and  to  Him  alone.  All  we  can  do  is  to  tell 
about  material  things — the  building  of  churches,  the 
collection  of  funds,  the  perfection  of  organization,  and 
the  like.  But  things  like  these,  though  not  in  them- 
selves spiritual,  are  not  without  their  significance,  and 
may  be  taken  as  outward  signs  of  that  which  is  inward 
and  spiritual.  Those  who  love  the  house  of  God 
sufficiently  to  give  of  their  substance  for  its  support, 
are  more  likely  to  be  true  worshippers  of  Him  to  whom 
the  House  belongs  than  those  who  never  make  any 
sacrifice  or  practice  any  self-denial  for  the  sake  of  their 
religion.  With  these  thoughts  then  in  our  minds,  we 
may  take  a  retrospect  of  the  past  thirty-seven  years, 
and  record  what  has  been  accomplished  in  that  time. 
And  first,  with  regard  to  the  church  fabrics.  Some 
churches,  we  know,  have  been  closed,  and  some  dis- 
mantled. It  has  always  been  with  regret  that  such  a 
course  has  been  taken,  and  in  some  cases  churches  that 
are  really  not  required  for  the  districts  in  which  they 
are  placed  have  been  preserved  and  used  for  occasional 
services.  On  the  other  hand,  no  less  than  nine  new 
churches  have  been  built.  These  are  : — the  Church 
of  Foyran,  built  by  subscription,  and  consecrated  in 
1876  ;  the  Church  of  Shannon  Bridge,  in  the  Parish  of 
Clonmacnoise,  built  by  Captain  Charles  Dunne,  with 
some  help  from  the  parishioners  and  others,  and  conse- 
crated in  1877  ;  the  Chapel  of  Moydrum,  built  by  Lord 
Castlemaine,  and  consecrated  in  1879  ;  the  Church  of 
Moyliscar,  built  by  Mrs.  Tottenham,  consecrated  in 


248  HISTORY  OF  THE    DIOCESE   OF   MEATH 

1880  ;  The  Church  "of  Burrow,  built  by  the  Honourable 
Otway  Fortescue  Toler,  consecrated  in  1881  ;  the 
Church  of  Syddan,  built  by  funds  bequeathed  by 
Miss  Elizabeth  Ball,  and  consecrated  in  the  same  year  ; 
the  Church  of  Lynally,  built  by  the  bequest  of  Captain 
Howard  Bury,  and  the  gift  of  his  wife  Lady  Emily 
Bury,  consecrated  in  1887  ;  the  Church  of  Donagh- 
patrick,  built  by  Mr.  Thomas  Gerrard,  and  his  sisters, 
Mrs.  Collins  and  Mrs.  Johnston,  consecrated  in  1897  ; 
and  the  Church  of  Skryne,  built  by  Sir  John  Dillon, 
Bart.,  with  some  help  from  the  parishioners,  and 
consecrated  in  1904.  These  are  for  the  most  part 
buildings  of  great  beauty — some  of  them  small,  but 
all  of  them  adequate  for  the  wants  of  the  districts  in 
which  they  are  placed. 

As  to  the  other  churches,  it  would  be  impossible 
now  to  record  how  much  has  been  done  in  the  way  of 
restoration,  and  merely  to  enumerate  the  buildings 
which  have  been  renewed  would  be  to  give  a  list  which 
would  include  almost  every  church  in  the  diocese.  The 
old  square  pews,  which  were  at  once  unsightly  and 
inconvenient,  have  so  completely  disappeared,  that 
many  in  the  rising  generation  can  have  no  idea  of  the 
arrangements  that  were  to  be  found  nearly  everywhere 
in  the  days  of  their  elders. 

Before  disestablishment  the  repairs  of  churches 
were  executed  chiefly  by  the  Ecclesiastical  Com- 
missioners, and  it  was  feared  by  many  that  when  the 
expense  of  supporting  the  ministry  was  thrown  upon 
the  people,  it  would  put  such  a  tax  on  their  energies 
that  the  church  fabrics  would  inevitably  be  neglected. 
The  result  has  shown  that  this  was  by  no  means  the 
case.  As  soon  as  parishioners  felt  that  they  were 
themselves  responsible  for  the  care  of  their  churches, 
they  rose  well  to  the  occasion,  and  spared  neither 


A    FINAL    RETROSPECT  249 

expense   nor   trouble   in   preserving    and   beautifying 
their  sanctuaries. 

Turning  now  to  the  finances  of  the  Church,  the 
record  of  the  diocese  for  the  past  thirty-seven  years 
has  been  remarkable  indeed.  From  the  first  a  large 
and  yearly  increasing  sum  had  to  be  paid  for  the 
support  of  the  ministry  and  of  the  various  organizations 
connected  with  the  Church.  Not  only  has  this  been 
met,  but  a  large  sum  has  been  laid  by,  the  interest  on 
which  is  available  for  carrying  on  the  work.  There 
is  a  prevalent  idea  that  the  greater  part  of  the  capital 
which  the  Church  has  saved  is  due  to  the  liberal  terms 
obtained  under  the  Irish  Church  Act.  That  a  con- 
siderable sum  has  been  gained  in  this  way  has  already 
been  shown,  though  it  is  to  be  remembered,  as  has  also 
been  pointed  out,  that  the  arrangement  was  as 
advantageous  to  the  government  as  it  was  to  the  Church. 
It  may  be  well,  however,  taking  Meath  again  as  our 
example,  to  show  how  much  of  the  capital  is  due  not 
to  the  financial  operations  of  the  Representative 
Church  Body  in  dealing  with  commutation  capital, 
but  to  the  generosity  of  the  Church  members,  who 
contributed  year  by  year  to  the  building  up  of  the 
diocesan  funds.  Taking  the  balance-sheet  of  the 
Diocese  of  Meath  for  the  year  1905,  and  excluding  all 
sums  which  have  been  derived  directly  or  indirectly 
from  the  concessions  made  in  the  Irish  Church  Act,  we 
have  the  following  items  : — 

£      s.  d. 

Parochial    Endowments,     contributed    since    the 

passing  of  the  Disendovvment  Bill  . .  . .  54.587  4  2 
Half  the  Composition  Endowments,  which  had  to 

be  subscribed  in  each  case  .  .  . .  16,635  I2  TI 
Episcopal  Endowment,  excluding  Composition 

Balance  of  Bishop  Butcher               . .             .  -  26,170  o  o 

Stipend  Fund  No.  i,  excluding  Composition  Balances  92,573  15  9 

Supplemental  Fund     . .             . .             .  -  304  6  9 

Stipend  Fund  No.  2,  excluding  Composition  Balances  1,778  3  5 


250 


HISTORY    OF    THE    DIOCESE    OF    MEATH 


Diocesan  Endowment  Fund 
Poor  Parish  Fund 
Cairnes  Fund 
Bolton  Fund 
Morgan  Fund 

Paid  for  purchase  of  Glebes 
Widows  and  Orphans  Fund 
Superannuation  Fund 
See  House 


£     s.  d. 

2,079    6    4 

890    5  7 

2.870  18  9 

3.731  14  10 

9.767    6  8 

24,237  12  9 

788  9  2 

7,072  o  o 

1.577  8  4 

£245,064    5    5 


This  large  sum  altogether  arises  from  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  churchmen  of  the  diocese,  and  it  tells 
us  how  nobly  they  have  risen  to  their  responsibilities. 
This  does  not  include  Mr.  Coote's  bequest,  nor  certain 
sums  contributed  for  endowment  of  various  parishes, 
which  are  not  vested  in  the  Representative  Church 
Body.  If  these  be  taken  into  account,  the  amount 
would  scarcely  fall  short  of  £300,000. 

Nor  is  the  spirit  of  liberality  dead.  Another  of  the 
fears  which  timorous  souls  expressed  was  that  when  the 
generation  passed  away  who  had  witnessed  disestablish- 
ment, their  successors  would  not  have  the  same 
enthusiasm,  nor  be  so  ready  to  make  sacrifices  on 
behalf  of  the  Church.  That  this  fear,  too,  is  groundless 
is  shown  by  the  response  which  has  just  been  made  to 
the  appeal  of  the  Representative  Church  Body  for  an 
Auxiliary  Fund,  which  is  to  cover  loss  resulting  from 
the  reinvestment  of  money  that  had  been  lent  on 
mortgage.  To  that  appeal,  Meath  has  already 
promised  a  contribution  of  £22,861,  and  in  this 
liberality  has  surpassed  every  diocese  in  Ireland. 

While  thus  providing  for  the  work  of  God  within 
her  own  borders,  and  for  the  general  necessities  of  the 
Church  at  home,  the  diocese  has  not  been  unmindful 
of  other  claims,  but  contributes  a  sum  of  over  £2,000 
a  year  to  missions  and  charities.  Of  late  years 


A    FINAL    RETROSPECT  251 

missionary  conferences  and  missionary  exhibitions 
have  been  held  in  various  centres,  and  those  who  are 
so  faithful  to  their  own  Church  have  shown  that  they 
have  sympathy  also  with  the  Church  abroad,  and  are 
ready  to  support  those  who  are  engaged  in  the  glorious 
work  of  extending  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 

There  is,  unfortunately,  a  reverse  side  to  the  picture 
which  cannot  be  left  out  of  sight.  The  Church  popu- 
lation of  the  diocese  has  decreased  and  is  still 
decreasing  to  an  alarming  extent.  Since  the  days  of  dis- 
establishment one-third  of  our  Church  people  have  left 
the  diocese.  We  see  the  result  in  diminished  congrega- 
tions, in  schools  closed,  or  kept  open  with  difficulty,  and 
with  an  attendance  barely  sufficient  to  satisfy  the 
requirements  of  the  National  Board.  It  becomes 
increasingly  difficult  to  have  efficient  parish  organiza- 
tions, and  in  some  parishes  the  smallness  of  the  number 
who  gather  together  for  worship  on  Sundays  must  have 
a  depressing  effect  alike  on  minister  and  on  the 
congregation.  One  of  the  causes  is  the  tendency,  which 
shows  itself  in  the  rural  parts  of  England  as  well  as  in 
Ireland,  of  the  population  to  leave  the  country 
districts  and  flock  into  the  towns.  Another  is  the 
abandonment  of  tillage,  and  the  turning  of  large  tracts 
of  land  into  grazing  farms,  thus  requiring  less  labour. 
These  are  causes  which  are  not  peculiar  to  our  island, 
but  are  felt  all  over  the  kingdom.  But  there  are 
besides  causes  which  are  peculiar  to  Ireland.  The 
tide  of  emigration  to  America  and  the  British  colonies 
has  swept  away  many  of  our  people.  Then,  the 
tendency  of  recent  legislation^  and  of  the  new  land  laws 
is  more  and  more  oppressive*  to'?  land  owners,  and  is 
every  day  loosening  the  ties  whicr/bind  them  to  their 
ancestral  homes.  Altogether  the  outlook  is  not  promis- 
ing. We  can  solace  ourselves  that  the  loss  to  the  diocese 


252  HISTORY   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF    MEATH 

is  not  a  loss  to  the  Church,  for  those  who  have  left  us 
have  brought  to  their  new  homes  the  religion  which  they 
learnt  at  home,  and  in  the  far-off  west,  or  in  Africa  or 
Australia,  they  still  continue  in  the  good  old  way  ; 
but  this  thought,  though  it  may  comfort  us,  does  not 
make  the  work  here  at  home  less  difficult.  Yet  we 
must  not  grow  weary  in  the  work,  for  those  who  are 
still  left  to  us  require  the  more  care  and  encouragement 
as  we  see  them  bereft  of  the  support  which  numbers 
can  give.  This,  however,  is  our  great  difficulty,  and  in 
view  of  it  we  can  only  pray  for  God's  grace,  that  we  may 
not  become  weary  in  well-doing. 

After  all,  though  we  have  this  discouragement,  we 
have,  as  has  been  pointed  out,  many  things  to 
encourage  us,  and  as  we  look  forward  we  know  that 
in  the  history  of  a  country  events  never  stand  still, 
and  therefore  we  may  rest  assured  that  the  present 
conditions  will  not  always  continue.  One  thing  we 
learn  from  the  history  that  has  just  been  recounted, 
that  the  pessimists  who  foreboded  disaster  have  always 
been  wrong  ;  and  if  we  keep  this  in  mind  it  will  give 
us  courage  for  the  future.  God  has  not  preserved  us 
through  so  many  vicissitudes,  and  saved  us  through 
so  many  dangers,  merely  that  in  the  end  we  should 
fail  from  lack  of  numbers.  We  may  rest  assured  that 
He  has  a  work  in  store  for  the  Church  in  Meath,  and 
in  the  meantime  we  must  simply  wait  in  patience, 
faithfully  performing  the  present  duty  that  He  gives 
us,  and  ready,  whenever  the  call  comes  from  Him,  to  rise 
to  higher  responsibilities. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


I. 

CHURCH  PLATE. 

THE  churches  in  the  Diocese  of  Meath  are,  for  the 
most  part,  well  provided  with  suitable  vessels  for  the 
celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion.  Except  in  a 
few  instances,  they  are  of  silver,  and  many  of  them 
are  both  interesting  and  valuable.  Although  the 
author  cannot  write  as  an  expert  on  this  subject,  he 
trusts  that  a  short  description  of  some  of  the  most 
interesting  of  these  vessels  will  not  be  unacceptable 
to  the  reader. 

It  is  possible  that  the  oldest  piece  of  silver  in 
possession  of  the  diocese  is  the  small  chalice,  still  in 
use  in  the  parish  of  Mayne.  It  has  evidently  been 
often  repaired,  and  the  cup  seems  to  be  of  much  later 
date  than  the  base.  On  neither  is  there  any  hall  mark, 
but,  judging  from  the  shape  of  the  base,  it  may  be 
of  pre-Reformation  date.  After  the  fourteenth  century 
the  foot  of  the  chalice  was  made  hexagonal  in  plan, 
so  that  the  cup  might  not  roll  when  laid  on  its  side  to 
drain  after  it  had  been  rinsed  out.  After  the  Reforma- 
tion the  shape  was  changed,  so  that  the  new  Com- 
munion Cup  might  bear  no  resemblance  to  the  old 
"  Massing  Chalice,"  and  it  then  assumed  the  form 
with  which  we  are  so  familiar  in  most  of  our  churches.1 
If  the  Mayne  Chalice  were  modern,  we  might  not  be 
justified  in  thus  arguing  as  to  its  age,  for  the  tendency 
of  later  times  is  to  return  to  ancient  models  ;  but 
in  its  present  form  it  manifestly  belongs  to  a  time 

1  Encyclopedia  Britannica. 


256  APPENDIX 

when  no  such  tendency  had  shown  itself,  and  hence 
we  may  probably  affirm  that,  in  part,  this  chalice  is 
the  oldest  vessel  that  we  possess. 

There  is  a  somewhat  similar  chalice  at  Athlone, 
which  has  the  inscription,  "  Ex  dono  Mariae  Dodwell, 
unoris  Henrici  Dodwell,  S.T.D."  ;  and  on  the  base, 
"  For  Saint  Mary's  Church  of  Athlone,"  with  the  words 
added,  "  Renovatus  a  Robert  Handcock,  D.D.,  1815." 
Here  again  the  same  explanation  is  possible,  that  the 
base  is  of  greater  age  than  the  cup.  The  Doctor  Henry 
Dodwell  here  commemorated  was  one  of  Cromwell's 
preachers,  and  his  name  will  be  found  in  the  list  already 
given.  But  at  the  Restoration  he  seems  to  have  been 
dispossessed,  for  we  find  that  in  1661  John  Stevens 
was  appointed  to  the  Vicarage  of  Athlone  and  Rectory 
of  Ballyloughloe,  and  three  years  later  paid  first  fruits 
for  these  two  parishes,  as  well  as  for  the  parishes  of 
Kilcleagh,  Drumraney,  Gallen,  and  Rynagh.  He 
was,  it  may  be  noted  in  passing,  father  to  the  founder 
of  Stevens'  Hospital,  in  Dublin.  This  raises  a  question 
as  to  the  position  which  Dodwell  held.  Although  one 
of  Cromwell's  preachers,  his  degree  shows  that  he 
must  have  been  in  Holy  Orders,  and,  therefore,  might 
have  continued  in  the  incumbency,  as  did  many  others. 
Possibly  he  may  have  died  about  the  time  of  the 
Restoration,  as  it  is  not  without  significance  that  the 
chalice  is  presented  not  by  him,  but  by  his  wife. 

There  is  besides  at  Athlone  a  paten,  probably  also 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  has  no  inscription. 
The  other  plate  is  interesting,  though  not  so  old.  The 
flagon  is  large,  and  seems  to  have  had  at  one  time 
somewhat  hard  usage.  The  lower  part  is  much 
crushed,  and  the  lid,  which  was  originally  attached 
by  a  hinge,  appears  to  have  been  taken  off  roughly 
with  a  chisel.  The  hall-marks  are  not  legible.  The 
inscription  reads  :  "  The  gift  of  Henry  St.  George, 
brother  to  Arthur  St.  George,  Esq.,  to  the  Parish  and 
Parish  Church  of  St.  Mary,  Athlone,  Anno  1702,  The 
Revd.  Edward  Wallen  being  Rector."  There  is  also 
a  large  flat  paten,  of  the  same  date,  with  the  inscrip- 
tion :  "  Ex  dono  Francisci  Lambert  ad  usum  Ecclesiae 
St.  Mariae,  Athlone,  22  Junij  1702."  Athlone  also 
possesses  a  large  heavy  alms  dish,  with  the  inscription  : 


APPENDIX  257 

"  The  gift  of  Henry  St.  George,  Esqr.,  to  St.  Marye 
Church  in  Athlone." 

The  church  of  Eglish  has  an  old  paten,  which  bears 
on  the  back  the  date  1559.  On  the  front  it  has  the 
inscription  :  "Ye  Church  at  Eglish,  1775."  There 
is  no  hall-mark.  The  curate  in  charge  informs  me 
that  he  has  shown  it  to  a  friend  who  is  somewhat  of 
an  expert,  and  that  he  thinks  that  it  was  very 
probably  made  in  the  year  1559,  and  given  to  Eglish 
in  1775.  If  this  surmise  be  correct,  it  is  the  oldest 
dated  piece  of  plate  that  we  possess.  The  same  church 
has  a  flagon  which  is  somewhat  remarkable.  It  is 
nine  inches  high,  like  a  tankard,  with  a  lid  attached 
by  a  hinge,  and  a  handle  at  one  side.  The  bottom  is 
of  oak.  The  rural  dean  remarks,  "It  is  doubtful  if 
this  is  an  ecclesiastical  vessel  at  all.  It  is  like  an  old 
pewter  pot  in  shape."  Very  probably  it  was  not 
originally  intended  for  church  use,  for  in  those  old 
days  they  frequently  employed  vessels  that  we  would 
not  now  consider  suitable  for  the  service  of  'the  Holy 
Communion.  The  chalice  and  paten  formerly 
belonging  to  the  disused  church  of  Knockmark  are 
held  on  loan  by  this  parish.  The  chalice  is  inscribed  : 
"  This  Chalice  and  Stand  belong  to  the  Parish  Church 
of  Knockmark,  1819."  The  paten  has,  "  This  Stand 
and  Chalice  belong  to  the  Parish  Church  of  Knock- 
mark  1819."  The  peculiar  use  of  the  word  "  stand  " 
is  worthy  of  notice. 

There  is  in  the  parish  of  Durrow  a  chalice,  which, 
from  the  hall-marks,  appears  to  be  of  the  date  1632 
or  1633.  The  Rev.  S.  de  C.  Williams  writes  concerning 
it,  "  It  has  the  letters  B.T.  rather  coarsely  but  deeply 
cut  on  it,  almost  obliterating  some  letters  finely 
engraved,  which  look  like  F.G.  From  a  comparison 
between  the  two  inscriptions,  it  only  requires  a  slight 
effort  of  the  imagination  to  think  of  B.T.  as  a  vulgar 
upstart,  who  thought  he  could  take  the  place  of  a 
man  of  culture  and  refinement  by  seeking  to  obliterate 
his  initials  by  putting  his  own  over  them.  Beneath 
this  double  pair  of  initials  are  the  letters  C.M.,  en- 
graved in  the  same  way  as  the  letters,  which  I  think 
are  F.G.  The  silver  in  this  chalice  is  still  fairly  thick, 
but  the  hall-mark  was  stamped  so  deeply  in  it  on  the 

VOL.    II.  S 


258  APPENDIX 

outside  that  it  is  now  appearing  on  the  inside." 
Durrow  has  also  a  silver  flagon,  with  the  inscription  : 
"  This  piece  of  plate  was  given  by  Mrs.  Francis  Fox 
for  the  use  of  the  Parish  Church  of  Durrow,  Anno.  Dom. 
1732  ;"  a  paten,  which  has  engraved  on  it,  "  The  Gift  of 
Francis  Fox  of  Durrow  to  the  Parish  Church ; " 
and  a  second  paten,  "  Presented  to  Durrow  Church 
by  Toler  R.  Garvey,  23rd  June,  1881." 

It  would  appear  that  the  rebellion  of  1641,  followed 
by  the  usurpation  of  Cromwell,  caused  most  of  the 
old  church  plate  to  be  lost.  The  Protector,  we  know, 
seized  it  wherever  he  could,  and  melted  it  down  for 
coinage.  It  need  not  surprise  us,  therefore,  to  find 
that  most  of  our  silver  is  of  subsequent  date  to  those 
events.  The  chalice  of  Killucan  has  the  London 
hall-mark  of  1663,  and  is  still  in  perfect  condition. 
It  has  the  inscription,  "  Parrish  of  Killuquen  Cupp 
1664.  GW  :  AD  :  Churchwardens."  The  same  parish 
has  also  a  large  silver  paten,  "  The  Gift  of  Mrs.  Jane 
Nugent  of  Clonlost  to  the  Parish  Church  of  Killukan, 
December  the  gth,  1742."  It  has  the  Dublin  hall-mark 

of  1734-5- 

In  Kells  there  is  a  chalice  and  paten  which, 
according  to  the  Dublin  hall-mark,  were  made  in  1663. 
The  chalice  has  the  inscription  on  the  cup,  "  Hoc 
Poculum  Pertinet  Ad  Ecclesiam  Parochialem  Sancti 
Columbae  de  Kells  1665,"  and  on  the  base,  "  Donum 
Ambrosij  lones  S.T.D.  Archdiaconi  Midensis."  The 
paten  has  "  Ecclesiae  de  Kells  1665."  There  is 
also  a  large  paten  or  alms  dish — it  would  be  large  for 
the  former,  but  small  for  the  latter — with  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  Ecclesia  de  Kells,  A.D.  1671."  Archdeacon 
Ambrose  Jones,  who  seems  to  have  been  the  donor  of 
all  three,  was  one  of  Cromwell's  preachers,  but 
managed  to  adapt  himself  to  the  varying  opinions 
of  the  time,  and  so  held  possession  of  the  living  after 
the  Restoration.  He  became  Bishop  of  Kildare  in 
1667,  but  does  not  seem  to  have  vacated  Kells  until 
1678,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  another  of  the  same 
family,  William  Jones.  Kells  has  also  a  very  hand- 
some flagon,  which,  with  a  second  chalice  and  paten, 
were  presented  by  Archdeacon  Lewis.  On  the  flagon 
is  engraved  "  I.H.S.  In  Usum  Ecclesiae  Xti  Apud 


APPENDIX  259 

Kells.  Deo  O.  M.  D.D.A.  Georgius  Lewis,  Arch- 
diaconus  Meidensis.  Anno  1724."  The  Chalice  has, 
"  In  usum  Ecclesiae  Christi  apud  Kells.  Deo  O.  M. 
D.D.D.  Georgius  Lewis,  Archdiaconus  Meidensis. 
1727."  The  paten  has  simply  the  letters  I.H.S.  with 
a  cross  enclosed  in  halo.  There  are,  besides,  two 
collecting  plates,  with  a  dove  engraved,  evidently  in 
reference  to  the  founder  of  the  church,  St.  Columba, 
and  around  it  the  words,  "  For  the  Church  of  Kells, 
May  the  8th,  1738."  All  these  are  of  English  plate. 

The  church  of  Clonard  has  a  chalice  presented  in 
1677,  and  repaired  in  1796.  It  has  two  inscriptions 
recording  these  facts.  "  Ex  dono  Susanna  Loftus, 
April  i5th,  anno  1677  ;  "  and  "  Renew'd  by  Lady 
Jane  Loftus,  June  22nd,  1796."  The  hall-mark  is  of 
the  date  1795,  showing  that  the  cup  is  of  later  date  than 
the  base.  There  is  also  a  paten,  with  the  inscription, 
'  The  Gift  of  Lettice  Loftus  to  ye  Church  of  Clonard 
1718." 

The  old  plate  of  Athboy  dates  from  1678,  and  is 
in  bad  condition.  An  electro-plate  set  is  in  ordinary 
use.  The  old  chalice  gives  the  name  of  the  vicar, 
Robert  Parkinson,  and  of  the  churchwardens,  Thomas 
Bligh  and  Robert  Fame,  with  the  date.  It  was 
evidently  repaired  at  a  later  date,  for  it  has  also  the 
names  of  John  Hopkins  and  Thomas  Tandy,  church- 
wardens, 1749.  The  paten  has  no  inscription. 

In  Skryne  there  is  a  chalice  and  paten,  both  of 
which  bear  the  same  inscription  :  "  This  was  dedicated 
to  the  Church  of  Skriene  by  the  Honourable  Mrs.  Mary 
Dillon,  May  30th,  1680."  There  is  also  in  the  same 
parish  a  fine  silver  flagon,  and  a  large  paten  or  alms 
dish. 

The  old  chalice  of  Loughcrew  has  already  been 
noticed.  It  bears  the  inscription  "  Die  In  Usum 
Eccliae  De  Loughcrew  in  Com  Miden  Dicavit  Ric 
Dudell  Vic.  Anno  Dom  1683.  The  same  parish  has 
an  old  silver  paten,  and  three  plated  chalices,  two  of 
them  dated  1843  ;  the  third  without  date. 

The  parish  of  Almoritia  has  some  beautiful  and 
valuable  plate.  The  oldest  is  the  chalice  and  paten, 
which  are  inscribed,  "  The  Gift  of  L.  M.  E.  to  the 
Parish  of  Rathcondra,  1691."  The  flagon  has  "  The 


260  APPENDIX 

Gift  of  Lewis  Meares,  Senr.,  Esqr.,  and  Elizabeth  his 
wife  to  ye  Parish  Church  of  Rathconrath,  1698." 
Like  many  other  flagons,  it  has  a  whistle  at  the  end 
of  the  handle,  which  would  seem  to  show  that  it  was 
not  originally  intended  for  church  use.  There  is  a 
second  paten  of  somewhat  later  date,  "  The  Gift  of 
John  Meares,  Esqr.,  to  the  Parish  of  Almoritia,  16 
Sepr.,  1763."  They  have  also  a  curious  silver  gilt 
chalice,  with  cover,  which  seems  to  represent  a  pine- 
apple. Quite  lately  a  pocket  Communion  Service  has 
been  presented  to  the  parish,  for  use  in  the  visitation 
of  the  sick.  It  consists  of  glass  bottle  with  silver  top, 
paten  and  chalice,  and  has  the  inscription,  "  The  Gift 
of  Kate  Devenish  Meares,  Almoritia,  1904." 

Galtrim  Church  has  a  paten  with  the  inscription, 
"  Golthrim  Church,  1686."  Reference  has  already 
been  made  to  the  curious  cocoanut  chalice  which,  in 
1733,  belonged  to  this  parish.  It  may,  perhaps,  be 
assumed  that  it  fell  out  of  use  in  1766,  for  in  that  year 
a  silver  chalice,  st'll  in  use,  was  presented,  "  The  Gift 
of  Mrs.  Warren,  senr.,  to  the  Church  of  Galtrim." 
Laracor,  with  which  Galtrim  is  united,  has  two  chalices 
and  a  paten  of  eighteenth  century  silver.  One  of  the 
chalices  has  the  inscription,  "  The  Gift  of  Carrot 
Wesley,  Esqr.,  To  ye  Church  of  Larracor,  1723." 
This,  as  will  be  noted,  was  presented  to  the  parish 
during  the  incumbency  of  Dean  Swift. 

The  chalice  and  paten  of  Ratoath  date  from  1693. 
Both  have  the  same  inscription,  "  The  Gift  of  Kathern 
and  Dorcas  Bolton  to  the  Parish  Church  of  Ratoath 
on  Easter  Sunday  1693."  The  Boltons  lived  at  that 
time  at  Lagore,  and  for  close  on  a  hundred  years  the 
rectory  was  held  by  members  of  this  family.  Henry 
Bolton  was  appointed  in  1677  ;  he  was  succeeded  in 
1688  by  Doctor  John  Bolton,  who  resigned  in  1720, 
and  was  followed  by  Richard  Bolton,  who  continued  in 
the  incumbency  until  his  death  in  1761.  The  three 
incumbencies  thus  fall  short  by  six  years  of  the 
century.  The  flagon  was  presented  during  the  last  of 
these  three  incumbencies,  and  was  "  The  Gift  of  Mrs. 
Sarai  Norman  to  the  Church  of  Ratoath,  A.D.  1743." 
A  member  of  the  Norman  family,  Thomas  Lee  Norman, 
succeeded  to  the  rectory  in  1761,  being  presented  by 


APPENDIX  26l 

the  "  true  and  undoubted  patron/'  Mr.  Thomas  Bolton, 
of  Lagore.  Belonging  to  the  same  union  is  some 
valuable  but  more  modern  plate  :  a  chalice  and  paten, 
dated  1716,  belonging  to  the  church  of  Kilmoon  ;  and 
a  chalice  and  paten,  dated  1776,  belonging  to  Kilbrew. 
The  two  latter  are  inscribed,  "  The  Gift  of  Ham  Gorges, 
Esq.,  to  the  Church  of  Kilbrew,  April  nth,  1776." 

When  the  church  of  Kilmore  was  closed,  the  plate 
was  sent  for  custody  to  the  Representative  Church 
Body,  and  was  by  them  entrusted  on  loan  to  the 
Warden  of  Wilson's  Hospital,  for  use  in  the  chapel  of 
that  institution.  It  consists  of  a  chalice  and  paten, 
both  of  which  bear  the  same  inscription,  "  Parish  of 
Kilmore,  June  ye  6th,  1698."  There  have  been  added, 
round  the  inside  of  the  base  of  the  chalice,  and  on  the 
under  side  of  the  paten,  the  words,  "  In  usum  Ecclesiae 
Wilson's  Hospital.  Hill  Wilson  White,  S.T.D.,  Custos 
A.S.  MDCCCC."  The  warden  informs  me  that  "  the 
handsome  silver  Communion  vessels  belonging  to  the 
chapel  of  Wilson's  Hospital  were  stolen  some  forty 
years  ago."  Wilson's  Hospital  also  possesses  a  modern 
paten,  which  is  thus  described  :  "It  has  rim  chased 
with  oak  leaves  between  four  Maltese  crosses.  The 
centre  is  depressed,  and  bears  the  Sacred  Monogram 
I.H.S.  It  is  supported  on  an  hexagonal  stem,  divided 
into  two  portions  by  embossed  knob,  and  rests  upon 
a  hexagonal  foot."  It  has  the  inscription,  "  A.M.D. 
Hanc  Patinam  fieri  fecit  H.  W.  White,  S.T.D.,  Custos, 
in  usum  Ecclesiae  Wilson's  Hospital.  A.S. 
MDCCCXCI."  There  is  also  a  silver  and  glass  cruet 
flagon,  inscribed,  "  A.M.D.G.  In  usum  Ecclesiae 
Wilson's  Hospital.  D.D.  H.  W.  W.  MDCCCXCI." 

There  are  a  chalice  and  paten  at  Trim,  which  are 
interesting  on  account  of  having  been  presented  to 
the  parish  by  Bishop  Dopping.  They  both  have  the 
inscription,  "The  Gift  of  Anthony  J.,  Bp.  of  Meath, 
To  ye  Church  of  Trymm  1696."  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  bishop  was  rector  of  Trim.  This  arrangement 
was  first  made  under  Bishop  Montgomery,  but  the 
rectory  was  not  finally  appropriated  by  letters  patent 
until  1648,  when  it  was  so  granted  to  Bishop  Dopping. 
Lord  Drogheda  makes  sarcastic  reference  to  this  fact 
in  r  the  extraordinary  letter  which  has  been  already 


262  APPENDIX 

quoted.  There  is  a  second  chalice,  "  The  Gift  of  Mrs 
Mary  Lightbourne  and  Mrs.  Jane  Lloyd  to  St.  Patrick's 
Church  of  Trymm  ;  "  and  a  second  paten,  "  The  Gift 
of  Mrs.  Mary  Lightbourne  and  Mrs.  Jane  Lightbourne 
to  St.  Patrick's  Church  of  Trymm."  The  Light- 
bournes  were  long  connected  with  the  Parish  of  Trim, 
and  one  of  the  family  became  curate  to  Dean  Swift 
at  Laracor.  The  rest  of  the  Trim  plate  was  presented 
by  Dean  Butler.  It  consists  of  a  flagon  and  two  alms 
dishes.  The  flagon  was  presented  in  1855,  ^d  com- 
memorates that  Dean  Butler  had  then  been  Vicar 
of  Trim  for  thirty-five  years  ;  the  alms  dishes  were 
presented,  one  at  Whitsuntide,  1855,  and  the  other  at 
Easter,  1859. 

The  Parish  of  Raddonstown  has  a  chalice  and  paten, 
presented  to  the  church  in  1697,  by  Mr.  William 
Connalle.  The  silver  chalice  and  paten  belonging  to 
Moyglare,  in  the  same  union,  is  modern. 

Some  eighteenth  century  and  more  modern  plate 
has  been  already  noted  ;  for  the  rest,  it  may  suffice 
to  mention  only  those  which  have  more  or  less  interest- 
ing inscriptions. 

In  Ballyloughloe  there  is  a  chalice  and  paten,  "  The 
Gift  of  the  Revd.  Robert  Smyth,  late  Vicar  of  Bally- 
loughloe, July,  1706."  There  is  also  a  small  chalice, 
"  From  Lord  Sunderlin  to  the  Parishioners  of  the 
Parish  of  Drumreny ; "  another  paten,  '  The  Gift 
of  the  Revd.  John  Travers,  Vicar  of  Ballyloughloe. 
Feb.  9,  1775  ;  "  and  a  small  paten,  which  has  the 
inscription,  "  In  usum  Infirmorum  Dedicavit  Johannes 
Travers  Vicarius  De  Ballyloughloe." 

In  the  Union  of  Moynalty,  the  chalice  and  paten 
of  Newtown  date  from  1709.  The  Church  of  Moynalty 
itself  has  a  chalice  with  the  inscription,  "  Ex  dono 
Johannis  Chaloner,  An.  Dom.  1714  &  Georgij  Regis 
Primo."  There  is  also  a  paten  dated  1724. 

The  old  Communion  plate  of  Kingscourt  consists 
of  one  chalice  and  two  plates.  It  has  the  following 
inscription  :  "  The  gift  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pratt  and  of 
her  only  child  Mervyn  Pratt,  Esq.,  to  the  Parish 
Church  of  Enniskeen,  County  of  Cavan,  1710." 
Beneath  this  is  a  cross  and  the  monogram,  I.H.S. 
A  beautiful  new  service,  consisting  of  two  chalices  and 


APPENDIX  263 

a  flagon,  was  presented  to  this  parish  by  Mr.  J.  Pratt 
in  1905. 

The  chalice  of  Dunshaughlin  is  without  hall-mark 
or  date,  and  should  probably  be  placed  much  higher 
up  in  our  list.  It  is  very  light,  and  of  dark  silver,  and 
has  the  inscription,  "  C.  of  donsaghlin."  The  oldest 
dated  plate  belonging  to  the  parish  is  a  small  paten, 
"  The  gift  of  Henry  Webb,  Esq.,  to  ye  Parish  Church 
of  Dunsaghlin.  Anno  1711."  Noah  Webb,  Dean  of 
Leighlin,  was  incumbent  of  this  parish  from  1692  to 
1696.  Doubtless  the  Henry  Webb  here  commemorated 
was  a  member  of  his  family.  The  flagon  belonging  to 
this  church  is  inscribed,  "  Dunsaghlin  Church.  Anno 
1719."  Of  the  other  churches  in  this  union,  Bally- 
maglasson  has  a  chalice  and  paten  dated  1812.  Rath- 
beggan  has  electroplate. 

In  Castlelost  the  chalice  and  paten  are  inscribed, 
"  The  Gift  of  Mdme  Hannah  Rochfort  to  the  Church 
of  Castle  Loss  in  Westmeath,  1712."  The  Rochforts, 
as  we  have  already  learned,  were  munificent  bene- 
factors of  this  parish.  The  flagon  is  modern  silver. 
Of  the  other  churches  in  the  union,  Moyliscar  has  a 
silver  chalice,  of  which  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain 
the  date.  Enniscoffy  has  flagon,  chalice,  and  paten, 
dated  1892. 

The  Stackallen  plate  consists  of  flagon,  chalice, 
and  paten.  All  of  them  have  the  same  inscription, 
"  The  Honble  Frek.  Hamilton,  Esqr.  Eccles  ye  7, 
verse  ye  ist.  Chap,  ye  ist,  verse  ye  7th.  He  died  iober 
ye  loth,  1715,  &  is  buried  in  ye  Parish  Church  of 
Stackallen."  In  the  centre  is  engraved  a  skull  and 
cross  bones.  The  silver  belonging  to  Pay  nest  own  is 
not  particularly  interesting.  It  consists  of  a  flagon  and 
paten  (the  chalice  and  another  paten  is  electroplate). 
There  is  also  a  silver  alms  dish,  "  Presented  to  Pains- 
town  Church  in  loving  memory  of  Arthur  George 
Murray  and  his  dear  Wife  Eliza  Knight  Murray,  by 
their  sorrowing  sons  and  daughters,  1897."  The  text 
is  added,  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes." 

The  plate  belonging  to  Kilbeggan  Church  is  hand- 
some and  valuable.  It  is  all  of  heavy  silver.  The 
oldest  piece  is  the  paten,  which  has  the  inscription, 


264  APPENDIX 

'  The  Gift  of  Brabazon  Newcomen  to  ye  Church  of 
Kilbegan,  1717.  Enlarged  by  ye  Parish  1750."  Next 
comes  the  chalice,  which  is  "  The  Gift  of  Brabazon 
Newcomen,  Esq.,  to  the  Church  of  Kilbeggan,  1723." 
There  is  also  a  flagon,  "  The  Gift  of  Lieut.  Col.  Lambart 
to  the  Church  of  Kilbeggan,  1754 ;  "  and  an  alms 
dish,  "  The  Gift  of  Charles  Lambart  to  the  Parish  of 
Killbeggan,  1768."  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  many 
of  the  inscriptions  that  have  been  quoted,  the  spelling 
of  the  names  of  parishes  is  peculiar.  One  would  have 
thought  that  in  the  case  of  Kilbeggan  there  would  be 
little  room  for  variation,  but  we  find  that  the  name 
is  spelled  in  three  different  ways  on  these  vessels. 
The  parish  of  Ardnurcher,  in  the  same  union,  has  only 
plated  vessels,  formerly  belonging  to  Lynally.  Some 
years  ago  the  silver  belonging  to  this  parish  was  stolen 
by  burglars,  who  broke  open  the  church.  The 
probability  is  that  it  was  melted  down  by  them,  and 
therefore  can  never  be  recovered. 

In  the  parish  of  Rynagh  (Banagher)  there  is  an 
interesting  chalice  and  paten,  both  of  which  bear  the 
inscription,  "  Ex  Dono  piissimee  Anae  Baronissae  de 
Louth  Ecclesiae  Parochiali  de  Reynah  Diocesi 
Medensi.  Anno  1719."  There  is  also  a  large  silver 
paten,  dated  1815. 

In  Delvin  there  is  a  chalice  with  cover,  bearing  the 
inscription,  "  The  Gift  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hodson  to 
ye  Parish  of  Delvin,  being  Vicar  Thereof,  A.D.  1720." 
Also  a  silver  paten  bearing  the  Fitzgerald  crest. 
Killallon,  with  which  Delvin  is  united,  has  flagon, 
chalice,  and  paten,  inscribed,  "  The  Gift  of  the  Rev. 
Jeremy  Walsh,  deed.,  near  60  years  Vicar  of  Killallon, 
1789."  It  would  appear  that  in  1825  there  were 
two  chalices,  but  if  so,  one  of  them  has  been 
lost. 

Forgney  possesses  an  interesting  chalice,  "  The 
Free  Gift  of  Freke  Sandys,  Esqr.,  to  the  Church  of 
Forgney,  Anno  Domini  1722."  Also  a  paten,  "  The 
Gift  of  the  Rev.  Dean  Harman  To  the  Parish  Church 
of  Forgney,  1770  ;  "  and  a  flagon  of  modern  plate  which 
was  presented  by  Mrs.  Frances  Harman.  It  has  an 
alms  dish,  "  In  Memory  of  the  Right  Honourable 
Colonel  E.  R.  King  Harman,  M.P.,  who  died  June 


APPENDIX  265 

1888  ;  "    and  a  paten,  which  was  the  gift  of  the  Rev. 
J.  H.  Rice  in  1895. 

The  parish  of  Ballymore  has  a  chalice  which  dates 
from  1723.  It  is  inscribed,  "  The  guift  of  the  Parishrs 
of  Ballymore.  Ye  Revd.  Wm.  Piers,  Minister.  George 
Lennon  and  John  Dawson,  Churchwardens.  1723." 
This  was  one  of  the  parishes  which  were  appropriate 
to  the  see.  Accordingly  we  find  that,  in  1734,  the 
bishop  presented  a  flagon  and  paten.  The  flagon 
bears  the  inscription,  "  D.O.M.  In  usum  Ecclesia 
Parochialis  de  Ballymore  in  Diocesi  Midensi  Rite 
Reverendus  Arthurus  Divina  Providentia  Midensis 
Episcopus  Hanc  Langenam.  D.D.C."  The  paten 
bears  the  same  inscription,  substituting  the  word 
"  Patinam  "  for  "  Langenam." 

The  Newtown  Fertullagh  Plate  is  old,  and  the 
chalice  and  paten  are  worn  very  thin,  indeed  worn 
through  in  places.  The  hall-marks  are  not  decipher- 
able, but  the  date  may  be  fixed  approximately  by 
the  inscription  on  chalice  and  paten  :  "  This  belongeth 
to  Newtown  Fertullagh  Church  in  ye  Diocese  of  Meath. 
John  Shadwell,  M.A.,  Rector."  Shadwell  vacated 
the  parish  in  1724.  There  is  also  a  flagon,  which  was 
"  The  bequest  of  the  late  Barry  Lowe  of  Newtown, 
Esq.,  1781." 

The  chalice  of  Syddan  was  "  The  Gift  of  David 
Nixon  to  the  Church  of  Syddan,  A.D.  1731."  The 
paten  was  acquired  when  the  Rev.  Brabazon  Disney 
was  vicar.  He  was  appointed  in  1788.  fo\ 

A  chalice  and  paten  at  Tisaran  dates  from  1735. 
Two  brass  alms  dishes  were  lately  presented  to  this 
church,  bearing  the  inscription,  "  A  Thankoffering 
for  God's  protecting  Care,  the  2nd  July,  1905."  They 
were  presented  by  a  young  lady  in  the  parish  who  had 
a  narrow  escape  from  drowning. 

Ardbraccan  has  been  for  many  centuries  the 
residence  of  the  Bishops  of  Meath.  Naturally,  there- 
fore, the  handsome  and  valuable  Communion  vessels 
were  episcopal  gifts.  A  chalice  and  paten  were  pre- 
sented by  Bishop  Maule  in  1744,  and  a  flagon,  chalice, 
paten,  and  alms  dish  were  given  by  Bishop  Henry 
Maxwell  in  1782. 

Agher  has  a  chalice  presented  by  Hercules  Langford 


266  APPENDIX 

Rowley  in  1747 ;  also  a  flagon  and  two  patens. 
Drumcree  has  a  chalice  and  paten  presented  by 
Thomas  Smyth  in  1752. 

Dunboyne  has  for  paten  an  ordinary  sideboard 
salver,  with  three  legs,  dated  1763  ;  also  an  old  chalice  ; 
and  a  very  fine  flagon,  deposited,  at  present  with  the 
Representative  Church  Body. 

The  chalice  of  Tara  dates  from  1755  ;  the  flagon 
and  paten  from  1766. 

The  church  plate  of  Saint  Mary's,  Drogheda,  dates 
from  1767.  The  flagon  and  paten  have  the  inscription, 
"  In  usum  Ecclesiae  B.  Mariae  de  ponte  piorum  muni- 
ficentia.  A.D.  1767."  The  chalice  has  "  Ecclesiae 
Beatae  Mariae  de  ponte  Gulielmus  Graves  Armiger. 
A.D.  1767."  The  silver  vessels  at  Colpe  were  presented 
by  Mr.  William  P.  Cairnes  in  1904.  They  have  also 
an  electroplate  chalice  and  paten,  given  to  the  parish 
in  1815  by  Mr.  Henry  Smith. 

Taughmon  Church  has  chalice  and  paten  dated 
1770.  The  Portnashangan  plate  dates  from  1823. 
This  parish  has  also  a  small  set  of  sacred  vessels  for 
use  in  the  visitation  of  the  sick. 

The  Kentstown  chalice  is  the  gift  of  the  Rev.  J. 
Ball,  who  was  appointed  rector  in  1786.  All  the 
other  vessels  are  electroplate. 

The  Mullingar  plate  dates  from  1791,  and  consists  of 
two  chalices  and  two  patens.  They  have  also  two 
electroplate  flagons  of  the  same  date  and  a  small 
service  for  use  in  the  visitation  of  the  sick,  which  was 
acquired  in  1902. 

The  silver  chalice  at  Clonfadforan  is  dated  1794. 
There  is  also  a  silver  flagon  which  was  "  A  Gift  from 
the  Countess  of  Belvidere  to  the  Church  of  Tyrrels- 
pass,  June  25th,  1825." 

Of  early  nineteenth  century  plate,  which  has  not 
been  already  noticed,  it  may  suffice  to  refer  to  the 
chalice  of  Kilshine,  presented  by  the  Rev.  Mungo 
Noble  in  1802,  and  another  chalice,  presented  to  the 
same  parish  by  Mr.  John  Pollock  in  1815  ;  the  chalice 
and  paten  of  Leney,  "  Dedicated  to  God,  and  for 
the  use  of  the  Church  of  Leney,  by  Alexander  Murray, 
Esq.,  Mount  Murray,  1808 ; "  the  flagon,  chalice, 
and  paten  of  Kilnegarenagh,  which  was  "  The  gift 


APPENDIX  267 

of  Thomas  Homan  Mulock,  Esq.,  of  Bellair,  to  the 
Church  of  Liss,  1811 ; "  the  large  and  handsome 
vessels  belonging  to  Tullamore,  which  were  acquired 
in  the  early  part  of  the  century  ;  and  the  flagon, 
chalice,  and  paten  of  Killochonnigan,  which  were 
"  The  Gift  of  Elizabeth,  Countess  of  Darnley,  1823." 
The  paten  of  Drakestown,  dated  1817,  and  the  chalice 
and  alms  dish  belonging  to  the  same  parish,  and  dated 
1824.  Mention  may  also  be  made  of  a  chalice  at 
Julianstown,  with  the  inscription,  "  For  the  use  of  the 
Parish  of  Gillingstown  ;  "  and  of  another  at  Kilkenny 
West,  "  The  Gift  of  Captain  Richard  Newstead  to 
ye  Church  of  Kilkenny  West."  Both  of  these  are 
doubtless  much  older  than  those  we  are  now  noticing, 
but  as  the  plate  marks  are  absent  or  undecipherable, 
the  date  cannot  be  fixed. 

Three  sets  of  more  modern  plate  deserve  special 
mention.  First,  the  chalice,  flagon,  and  silver-mounted 
glass  flagon  of  Lynally,  which  were  presented  to  the 
church  by  the  Countess  of  CharleviUe,  when  it  was 
consecrated  in  1881.  In  the  same  church  there  is  a 
brass  almsdish,  the  workmanship  of  the  Rev.  W.  F. 
Falkiner,  Rector  of  Killucan,  by  whom  it  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Parish.  It  is  a  very  handsome  and 
beautiful  piece  of  beaten  brass  work,  and  bears  the 
inscription  "IAAPON  AOTHN  AFAIIA  o  eEOs."  Then,  the 
very  beautiful  and  costly  set,  consisting  of  a  flagon, 
two  chalices,  and  a  paten,  presented  by  the  Rev. 
Francis  Swift,  afterwards  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise,  to  the 
Parish  of  Kilbixey,  of  which  he  was  then  rector ;  and, 
lastly,  the  flagon,  chalice,  and  paten,  presented  in 
1891  to  the  Parish  of  Donaghpatrick  by  Mr.  Thomas 
Gerrard. 

There  is,  besides,  a  good  deal  of  electroplate,  but 
for  the  most  part  of  no  particular  interest.  Special 
mention  need  only  be  made  of  the  chalice  and  two 
patens  belonging  to  Nobber.  These  were  presented 
by  Bishop  Henry  Maxwell,  who  was  rector  of  the 
parish,  in  1792,  but  for  many  years  they  were  lost  and 
fogotten.  A  short  time  ago  they  were  brought  to 
Mr.  Wilkinson  of  Navan,  who  purchased  them,  and 
restored  them  to  the  parish.  Before  being  handed 
over  to  the  rector,  they  were  renewed  and  replated 


268  APPENDIX 

at  the  expense  of  Sir  John  Dillon,  Bart.  They  are 
now  in  regular  use  at  the  celebration  of  Holy  Com- 
munion. They  bear  the  inscription,  "The  Gift  of 
the  Right  Honble.  and  Revd.  Henry  Lord  Bishop  of 
Meath  to  the  Church  of  Nobber.  A.D.  1792.  Samuel 
Murphy,  Curate.  Francis  Hopkins,  Joseph  Russell, 
Churchwardens.  Lost  for  many  years.  Restored 
A.D.  1907." 

The  only  pewter  vessel  remaining  seems  to  be  a 
chalice   at   Almoritia.       There   are,   however,   pewter 
collecting    plates    at    Ballyboy,    Enniskeen,    Moate, 
Mount   Nugent,   Kilmainham   Wood,   Loughan,   Moy- 
glare,  Kilnegarenagh,  Tisaran,  and  Durrow. 

Many  parishes  still  possess  the  old  copper  collecting 
boxes,  with  long  handles,  which  are  sometimes 
irreverently  referred  to  as  "  warming  pans."  In  most 
cases  they  have  quite  gone  out  of  use,  and  are  preserved 
merely  as  curiosities.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  many 
will  be  lost,  unless  some  means  are  taken  for  their 
preservation.  It  is  not  likely  that  they  will  ever  again 
come  into  use,  but,  having  been  once  employed  in  the 
service  of  the  Church,  they  ought  to  be  rescued  from 
the  fate  of  the  rubbish  heap. 

Some  plate  has  been  lost,  it  is  to  be  feared,  through 
the  carelessness  of  the  custodians.  We  have  already 
referred  to  the  cases  of  Ardnurcher  and  Wrilson's 
Hospital.  In  Ratoath  they  had  two  silver  collecting 
plates  in  1825  ;  there  is  only  one  at  present.  At 
Clonmellon  a  chalice  is  missing  which  was  there  in 
1825.  In  Duleek,  the  "  cup,  chalice,  and  paten  in 
good  order,"  which  were  there  in  1825,  have  dis- 
appeared, and  their  place  is  taken  by  poor  electro- 
plate, acquired  in  1827.  ^n  Slane  they  had  two  silver 
cups  in  1825,  and  both  of  them  seem  to  have  dis- 
appeared. These  are  the  only  cases  of  loss  that  I  can 
trace  ;  and,  when  we  remember  that  such  valuable 
possessions  were  often  left  to  the  care  of  sextons,  we 
can  only  wonder  that  the  loss  has  been  so  small. 


APPENDIX  269 

II. 

BISHOPS  OF  MEATH. 
FROM  THE  DATE  OF  THE  SYNOD  OF  KELLS  (1152). 

AT  the  Synod  of  Kells,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the 
various  small  dioceses  in  the  district  were  consolidated, 
and  formed  into  one  whole  Diocese  of  Meath.  This 
may,  therefore,  be  taken  as  the  proper  time  from 
which  to  trace  the  succession  of  bishops. 

1152.  Eleutherius  O'Meehan  held  the  See  of  Clonard  at 
the  time  of  the  Synod  of  Kells.  He  died  in  1174. 

1174.  Eugene  succeeded,  and  assumed  the  title  of  Bishop 
of  Meath. 

1194.  Simon  Rochfort  was  the  first  Englishman  preferred 
to  the  See.  He  was  consecrated  in  1194,  and  died  in  1224. 
He  changed  the  Episcopal  seat  from  Clonard  to  Newtown  near 
Trim. 

1224.  Deodatus,  elected  by  the  clergy  of  Meath,  but, 
according  to  some,  died,  before  his  consecration,  in  1226. 

1227.  Ralph  le  Petit,  had  been  Archdeacon  of  Meath,  and 
was  elected  in  1227.  He  was  a  very  old  man,  and  only 
survived  his  elevation  until  1230. 

1232.  Richard  de  la  Corner,  or  Nangle,  a  canon  of  St. 
Patrick's,  Dublin,  was  consecrated  in  St.  Peter's,  Drogheda, 
in  1232.  He  died  in  1250. 

1250.  Geoffrey  Cusack  is  not  generally  counted  among 
the  Bishops  of  Meath,  as  there  was  a  long  continued  contest 
about  the  election.  It  seems  clear,  however,  that  he  was 
actually  consecrated,  and  held  the  See  for  some  time. 
5*V{  1255.  Hugh  de  Taghmon,  "  a  pious  man  of  a  venerable 
life,"  was  the  rival  of  Geoffrey  Cusack.  As  late  as  r255  he  is 
spoken  of  as  "  bishop  elect,"  and  sometime  after  this  was  conse- 
crated. He  was  made  Lord  High  Treasurer  of  Ireland  by 
King  Henry  III.  He  died  in  i28r,  and  was  buried  at 
Mullingar. 

1287.  Thomas  St.  Leger  was  elected  in  1282,  but  was  not 
consecrated  until  1287,  when  he  was  raised  to  the  episcopate 
at  Kilkenny,  John  de  Sandfort,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  and 
Roger,  Bishop  of  Ossory,  being  consecrated  the  same  day. 
He  died  in  1320. 

1321.  John  O'Carrol,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Cork 
in  1302,  and  succeeded  to  Meath,  by  the  Pope's  provision,  in 
1321.  He  was  translated  to  the  Archbishopric  of  Cashel  in 
1327- 


270  APPENDIX 

1327.  William  de  Paul,  sometime  Provincial  of  the  Order 
of  the  Carmelites,  was  consecrated  at  Avignon  in  1327.  He 
died  in  1349. 

1350.  William  St.  Leger,  Archdeacon  of  Meath,  was  elected 
by  the  synod  of  the  clergy,  and  then  appointed  by  the  Pope's 
provision,  which  ignored  the  election.  He  was  consecrated  by 
the  Bishop  of  Winchester,  and  died  two  years  later,  in  1352. 

1353.  Nicholas  Allen,  Abbot  of  St.  Thomas's,  Dublin,  was 
consecrated  in  1353,  and  died  in  1366.  He  was  appointed 
Treasurer  of  Ireland  in  1357. 

1369.  Stephen  de  Valle,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of 
Limerick  in  1360,  and  was  from  thence  translated  to  Meath 
in  1369.  He  died  at  Oxford  in  1397,  an(*  was  buried  there. 
He  was  for  a  time  Treasurer  of  Ireland. 

1380.  William  Andrew,  consecrated  Bishop  of  Aghadoe 
in  1374,  and  translated  to  Meath  in  1380.  He  died  in  1385. 

1386.  Alexander  Petit,  or  De  Balscot,  became  Bishop  of 
Ossory  in  1371,  and  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1386,  at  the 
request  of  the  clergy  of  the  diocese.  He  died  at  Ardbraccan 
in  1400,  and  was  buried  at  Trim. 

1402.  Robert  Mountain,  Rector  of  Kildalkey,  was 
appointed  Bishop  of  Meath  by  the  Pope's  provision.  There 
was  some  delay  in  his  consecration,  as  King  Henry  IV.  wished 
to  promote  his  own  confessor,  Robert  Mascal.  Mountain, 
however,  was  consecrated  in  1402,  and  sat  until  his  death  in 
1412. 

1413.  Edward  Dantsey,  Archdeacon  of  Cornwall,  was 
appointed  in  1413,  and  held  the  See  until  his  death  in  1429. 
He  was  High  Treasurer  of  Ireland,  and  for  a  time  Deputy  to  the 
Lord  Lieutenant. 

1430.  William  Hadsor  was  appointed  by  the  Pope  in 
1430.  On  the  death  of  Bishop  Dantsey,  Thomas  Scurlock, 
Prior  of  Newtown,  seems  to  have  been  elected,  but  he  failed 
to  obtain  confirmation  of  his  election  from  the  Pope.  Hadsor 
only  survived  until  1334. 

1434.  William  Silk,  Rector  of  Killeen,  was  appointed 
by  the  General  Council  of  Basil  in  1434.  He  died  at 
Ardbraccan  in  1450,  and  was  buried  at  Killeen,  where  his  tomb 
may  still  be  seen  in  the  ruined  church. 

1450.  Edmund  Ouldhall,  A  Carmelite  of  Norwich,  suc- 
ceeded in  1450.  He  died,  and  was  buried  at  Ardbraccan  in 

*459- 

1460.     William  Sherwood  was  appointed  by  the  Pope  in 

1460.  He  was  for  a  time  Deputy  to  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and 
afterwards  Lord  Chancellor  of  Ireland.  He  died  at  Dublin  in 
1482,  and  was  buried  at  Newtown. 

1483.  John  Payn  succeeded  in  1483,  and  died  at  Dublin 
in  1506.  In  1496  he  was  appointed  Master  of  the  Rolls. 

1507.    William  Rokeby,  Vicar  of  Halifax,  was  appointed 


APPENDIX  271 

by  the  Pope  in  1507.  He  had  already  held  the  office  of  Lord 
Chancellor  of  Ireland.  He  was  translated  co  the  Archbishopric 
of  Dublin  in  1511. 

1512.     Hugh  Inge  succeeded  in  1512.     He  was  translated  to 
Dublin  in  1522. 
,*  1523.     Richard  Wilson  was  appointed  in  1523,  and  died  in 

1529- 

1530.  Edward  Staples,  Commendatore  of  the  Hospital 
of  St.  Bartholomew  in  London,  was  appointed  by  the  Pope's 
provision  in  1530.  He  was  deprived  by  Queen  Mary  in  1554, 
and  died  shortly  afterwards. 

1554.  William  Walsh  was  appointed  when  Staples  was 
deprived,  but  was  not  consecrated  for  some  time  afterwards. 
He  was  deprived  by  Queen  Elizabeth  in  1565,  and  for  a  time 
imprisoned.  Afterwards  he  retired  to  Spain,  and  died  there  in 

1577- 

1563.  Hugh  Brady  was  consecrated  in  1563,  and  died  at 
Dunboyne  in  1583.  He  is  buried  in  the  church  of  that  parish. 

1584.  Thomas  Jones,  Dean  of  Saint  Patrick's,  Dublin, 
was  consecrated  in  1548.  In  1605  he  was  translated  to  the 
Archbishopric  of  Dublin. 

1605.  Roger  Dod,  Dean  of  Shrewsbury,  was  appointed  in 
1606.  He  died  and  was  buried  at  Ardbraccan  in  1608. 

1611.  George  Montgomery,  Dean  of  Norwich  and  Chaplain 
to  King  James  I.,  was  consecrated  to  the  Bishoprics  of  Derry, 
Raphoe,  and  Clogher  in  1605.  He  was  translated  to  Meath  in 
1611,  the  See  having  been  some  time  vacant  after  the  death  of 
Roger  Dod.  He  continued  at  the  same  time  to  hold  the  See 
of  Clogher.  He  died  in  London  in  1620,  but  was  brought  for 
burial  to  Ardbraccan,  where  his  tomb  may  still  be  seen. 

1621.  James  Ussher,  Chancellor  of  St.  Patrick's  and 
Professor  of  Divinity  in  Trinity  College,  was  consecrated  in 
St.  Peter's,  Drogheda,  in  1621.  He  was  translated  to  the 
Archbishopric  of  Armagh  in  1624. 

1625.  Anthony  Martin,  Dean  of  Waterford,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  College,  was  consecrated  in  Dublin  in  1625.  On  the 
usurpation  of  Cromwell,  he  left  Meath,  and  took  up  his  residence 
in  Trinity  College,  where  he  died  of  the  plague  in  1650.  He 
was  buried  in  the  College  Chapel. 

1660.  Henry  Leslie,  Dean  of  Down  and  Treasurer  of  St. 
Patrick's,  was  consecrated     Bishop  of  Down  and  Connor  in 
1635.       He  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1660,  the  See  having 
then  been  vacant  for  ten  years.      He  only  survived  his  trans- 
lation until  the  next  year,  when  he  died    in  Dublin,  and  was 
buried  in  Christ  Church  Cathedral. 

1661.  Henry  Jones,   Dean  of  Kilmore,   was  consecrated 
Bishop  of    Clogher  in  1645,  and  was  translated  to  Meath  in 
1661.     He  died  in  Dublin  in  1681,  and  was  buried  in  St.  Andrew's 
Church. 


272  APPENDIX 

1682.  Anthony  Dopping,  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Rector 
of  St.  Andrew's,  Dublin,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Kildare 
in  1678,  and  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1682.  He  was 
Vice-Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Dublin.  He  died  in 
Dublin  in  1697,  and  was  buried  in  St.  Andrew's  Church. 

1697.  Richard  Tennison,  Vice-Chancellor  of  Trinity 
College,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Killala  in  1681,  translated 
to  Clogher  in  1690,  and  again  translated  to  Meath  in  1697. 
He  died  in  1705. 

1705.  William  Moreton,  Dean  of  Christ  Church,  Dublin, 
was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1682,  and  was  translated 
to  Meath  in  1705.  He  died  in  1715. 

1716.  John  Evans,  Bishop  of  Bangor,  was  translated 
to  Meath  in  1716.  He  died  in  1724. 

1724.  Henry  Downes,  Minister  of  Brington  Church, 
Northamptonshire,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Killala  in  1717. 
From  thence  he  was  translated  to  Elphin  in  1720,  and  from 
Elphin  to  Meath  in  1724.  He  had  yet  another  translation 
in  1727,  when  he  left  Meath  and  went  to  Deny. 

1727.  Ralph  Lambert,  Dean  of  Down,  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Dromore  in  1717,  and  was  translated  to  Meath  in 
1727.  He  died  in  1732. 

1732.  Welbore  Ellis  became  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1705, 
and  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1732.  He  died  in  1734. 

1734.  Arthur  Price,  Dean  of  Ferns,  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  1724.  From  thence  he  was  translated 
to  Ferns  and  Leighlin  in  1729,  and  in  1734  he  became  Bishop 
of  Meath.  Ten  years  later,  in  1744,  he  was  again  translated 
to  the  Archbishopric  of  Cashel. 

1744.  Henry  Maule,  Dean  of  Cloyne,  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Cloyne  in  1726  ;  he  was  translated  to  Dromore  in 
1732  ;  and  came  to  Meath  in  1744.  He  died  in  1758. 

1758.  The  Honourable  William  Carmichael,  Archdeacon 
of  Bucks,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  1753.  From 
thence  he  went  to  Ferns  and  Leighlin  in  1758,  and  in  the  same 
year  was  again  translated,  to  Meath.  In  1765  he  became 
Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

1765.  Richard  Pococke,  Archdeacon  of  Dublin,  was 
consecrated  to  the  See  of  Ossory  in  1756.  He  was  translated 
to  Meath  in  1765,  and  died  the  same  year,  just  as  he  was  about 
to  hold  his  first  visitation. 

1765.  Arthur   Smyth,    Dean   of   Deny,    was   consecrated 
Bishop  of  Clonfert  in  1752.     He  was  translated  to  Down  and 
Connor  in  1753;  he  came  to  Meath  in  1765,  and  finally  was 
translated  to  Dublin  in  the  following  year. 

1766.  The  Honourable  Henry  Maxwell,  Dean  of  Kilmore, 
was  consecrated  to  the  Bishopric  of  Dromore  in  1765.    He  was 
translated  in  the  following  year  to  Meath,  which  he  held  until 
his  death,  in  1798. 


APPENDIX  273 

1798.  Thomas  Lewis  O'Beirne  was  consecrated  Bishop 
of  Ossory  in  1795,  and  was  translated  to  Meath  in  1798.  He 
died  in  1823. 

1823.  Nathaniel  Alexander  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Clonfert 
in  1802,  and  translated  to  Killaloe  in  1804  ;  the  same  year  he  was 
again  translated  to  Down  and  Connor,  and  finally  became 
Bishop  of  Meath  in  1823.  He  held  the  See  until  his  death, 
which  took  place  in  1840.  It  may  be  noted  that  no  less  than 
fourteen  successive  Bishops  of  Meath  were  appointed  by 
translation,  and  that  from  the  consecration  of  Anthony  Martin 
in  1625  to  the  death  of  Nathaniel  Alexander  in  1840 — a  period 
of  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years — no  bishop  was  con  ecrated 
for  the  Diocese  of  Meath. 

1840.  Charles  Dickenson,  Chaplain  of  the  Magdalen 
Asylum,  Dublin,  was  consecrated  in  1840,  and  died  in  1842. 

1842.  Edward  Adderly  Stopford,  Archdeacon  of  Armagh, 
was  consecrated  i  i  1842,  and  died  in  1849. 

1850.  Thomas  Stewart  Townsend,  Dean  of  Waterford,  was 
consecrated  in  1850,  and  died  in  the  following  year. 

1852.  Joseph  Henderson  Singer,  Archdeacon  of  Raphoe 
and  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  Trinity  College,  was 
consecrated  in  1852,  and  died  in  1866. 

1866.  Samuel  Butcher,  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in 
Trinity  College,  was  consecrated  in  1866,  and  died  in  1876. 

1876.  William  Conyngham  Baron  Plunket,  Treasurer  of 
St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  Dublin,  was  elected  by  the  Synod  of 
Meath  on  the  i8th  October,  1876,  and  was  consecrated  in 
Armagh  on  the  loth  of  December  in  the  same  year.  He  was 
translated  to  the  Archbishopric  of  Dublin  in  1884. 

1885.  Charles  Parsons  Reichel,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise, 
was  elected  by  the  Bench  of  Bishops  from  names  sent  up  to 
them  by  the  Diocesan  Synod  in  1885,  and  was  consecrated  in 
St.  Patrick's  Cathedral.  He  died  in  1894. 

1894.  Joseph  Ferguson  Peacocke,  Rector  of  Monkstown 
and  Canon  of  St.  Patrick's  National  Cathedral,  was  elected 
by  the  Bench  of  Bishops  from  names  sent  up  by  the  Diocesan 
Synod  in  1894,  and  was  consecrated  in  Armagh.  He  was 
translated  to  Dublin  in  1897. 

1897.  James  Bennett  Keene,  Rector  of  Navan  and  Canon 
of  St.  Patrick's,  was  elected  by  the  Bench  of  Bishops  from 
names  sent  up  by  the  Diocesan  Synod  in  1897,  and  was 
consecrated  at  Armagh. 

The  following  note  is  appended  by  Bishop  O'Beirne 
to  a  list  of  the  Bishops  of  Meath  which  was  drawn  up 
by  him  :  "  The  first  Bishop  of  Meath  who  was  admitted 
into  the  Privy  Council,  except  in  right  of  some  great 
State  cffice,  was  Thomas  St.  Leger,  in  the  reign  of 

VOL.    II.  T 


274  APPENDIX 

Edward  the  First.  The  next  who  appears  to  have  been 
a  Privy  Counsellor,  without  any  State  office,  was 
Edward  Staples,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Sixth. 
The  next  was  Thomas  Jones,  called  into  the  Privy 
Council  in  consequence  of  instructions  given  by  Govern- 
ment to  Sir  John  Perrot  in  1584.  The  next  was  James 
Usher,  in  1621.  The  next  Anthony  Martin,  in  1641. 
The  next  was  Anthony  Dopping,  in  whose  patent, 
dated  I4th  of  January,  1681,  was  inserted  an  unusual 
clause  admitting  him  into  the  Privy  Council.  Sub- 
sequent to  this  period  bishops  called  into  the  Privy 
Council,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  were  Richard  Tennison, 
Henry  Downes,  Welbore  Ellis,  Arthur  Price,  Henry 
Maule,  William  Carmichael,  Henry  Maxwell,  Thomas 
Lewis  O'Beirne."  It  may  be  added  that  Bishop 
O'Beirne's  successors,  up  to  the  time  of  disestablish- 
ment, all  enjoyed  the  same  honour. 


III. 

BISHOPS  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 

THE  Church  of  Clonmacnoise  was  founded  in  548,  and 
it  became  such  an  important  establishment  that  there 
can  be  little  doubt  but  that  a  succession  of  Bishops 
was  kept  up  there  from  the  first.  Only  a  few  of  the 
earlier  names  have  come  down  to  us. 

Baitan,  Abbot  and  Bishop,  died  663. 
Joseph  de  Rosmor,  died  in  839. 
Maelodhar,  died  in  886. 

Cairbre  Crom,  was  bishop  in  894,  died  in  899. 
Loingseach,  died  in  918. 
Colman,  son  of  Ailill,  died  in  924. 
Dunchadh,  died  in  940. 
Dunadhach,  died  in  953. 

Co* mac   O'Killeen,  Abbot  of  Roscommon,  died  in  964. 
Tuathal,  died  in  969. 
Conaing  O'Cosgraigh,  died  in  997. 
MaelpoU,  died  in  1000. 
Celechar  Mughohornach,  died  in  1067. 


APPENDIX  275 

Gillachrist  O'Hectigern,  died  in  1104. 
Domnald  O'Dubhai,  died  in  1136. 

Moriertach   O'Melider,    was   present    at    the  Synod  of 
Kells  in  1152.      He  died  in  1188,  but  resigned  some 
time  before  his  death. 
Tigernac,  died  in  1172. 
Muirigen  O'Muirigen,  died  in  1213. 
Edan  O'Maily,  died  in  1220. 
1220.     Melrony  O'Modein,  died  in  1230. 
1230.     Hugh    O'Malone,  died    in  1236,    and    was    buried    at 

Kilbeggan. 
Elias,  mentioned   as   predecessor  of  Thomas   in  State 

Papers. 
1236.     Thomas,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise,  died  in  1252. 

1252.  David  O'Gillapatrick,  died  the  same  year. 

1253.  ^Thomas  O'Quin,  died  in  1279. 

1281.     Gilbert,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise,  consecrated  at  Armagh 

in  1281.     He  resigned  in  1288. 

1290.     William  O'Duffy,  died  from  an  accidental  fall  in  1297. 
1297.     William    O'Findan,     Abbot    of    Kilbeggan,     died    in 
1300,  after  which  the  See  was  vacant  for  three  years. 
1303.     Donald  O'Brian,  Guardian  of  the  Minorites  of  Killeigh. 
Lewis  O'Daly,  died  in  1337. 
Henry,  died  in  1367. 
Richard. 

Philip,  died  in  1338. 

1390.     Miles  Cory,  appointed  by  Pope  Boniface  IX.  in  1390. 
He  was  made  Lord  Justice  of  Connaught  by  King 
Richard  II. 
O'Galchor,  died  in  1397. 

1397.  Philip  Mangill   mentioned   in   the  Vatican   Records   as 

"  Bishop  Elect  "  in  1397. 

1398.  Peter,  Abbot  of  Granard,  died  in  1411. 
1411.     Philip  O'Mail,  died  in  1422. 

1423.     David   Brendog,    appointed   by  Pope  Martin   V.     He 

held  the  See  for  only   one   year,  when   it   remained 

vacant  until  1427. 
1427.     Cormac  M'Coghlan,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise,  elected  by 

the  Chapter.      He  died  in  1442. 
1444.     John  Oldais. 

John  (probably   not    the   same    as  John    Oldais),  died 

in  1486. 
1487.     Walter   Blake,   Canon  of  Annaghdown,  appointed   by 

Pope  Innocent  VIII.    He  died  in  1508. 
1508.     Thomas. 
1516.     Quintin,  appointed    by    the  Pope's    provision.       He 

died  in  1538. 
1538.     Richard  Hogan,  Bishop  of  Killaloe,  was   translated  to 

Clonmacnoise  in  1538,  and  died  the  same  year. 


27.6  APPENDIX 

I539-     THorence  Gerawan,  appointed  by  the  Pope's  provision. 

He  died  in  1554. 
1556.     Peter  Wall.     He  died   in   1568,  after   which    the   See 

was  by  Act  of  Parliament  united  to  Meath. 


IV. 
ARCHDEACONS  OF  MEATH. 

THERE  being  no  cathedral  in  Meath,  the  archdeacon 
occupies  a  position  corresponding  to  the  dean  in  other 
dioceses.  He  has  precedence  before  all  the  other  clergy, 
and  in  former  times  was  entitled  to  preside  at  the  Synod 
of  the  clergy,  which  met  yearly,  on  the  Thursday  after 
Pentecost.  Until  the  time  of  disestablishment,  the 
archdeaconry  was  united  to  the  rectory  of  Kells. 

ii —  Helias. 

1190.  Ralph    le    Petit,   sometimes    called     Archdeacon    of 

Mullingar. 

1222.  R . 

1235.  Simon  de  Burford.     Had  licence  from  the  Pope  to  be 

elected  to  a  bishopric,  although  the  son  of  a  priest. 

1264.  Richard  of  Malmesbury. 

1269.  John  de  Dumbleton  or  Dubilton. 

1289.  John  de  Kenelve. 

1295.  William  de  Sidan. 

1325.  William  St.  Leger,  appointed  Bishop  of  Meath  in  1350. 

1350.  Robert  de  Emeldon,  Treasurer  of  Ireland. 

1361.  Matthew  Crumpe. 

1362.  Adam  Owen. 
1369.  Henry  Poole. 

1372.  Matthew  Crumpe  again.  There  ,was  a  dispute 
between  the  King  and  the  Bishop  as  to  the  right  of 
presentation.  Crumpe  was  appointed  by  the  Crown. 
Hugh  de  St.  Martial,  Cardinal  of  St.  Mary's  in 
Porticu  was  also  appointed  by  the  Pope,  but  Crumpe 
held  possession  against  him.  Cardinal  Hugh  after- 
wards gave  his  adhesion  to  the  Antipope  Clement 
VII.,  and  for  this  reason  was  dispossessed. 

1374.     Andrew  Brandon. 

1386.  Thomas  Sprott.  The  Pope  appointed  Landulph  Cardinal 
Deacon  of  St.  Nicholas  in  Carcere  Tulliano,  but 
Sprott  opposed  the  provision  successfully. 

1388.     William  Carleil,  one  of  the  Barons  of  the  Exchequer. 


APPENDIX  277 

1400.     Thomas  Bathe  or  Bache,  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer 

and  Treasurer  of  Ireland. 

William  or  Walter  Young,  Lord  Chancellor  of  Ireland. 
John  White. 
Christopher  Dowdall. 
Christopher  Dowdall. 
John  Chambre. 

Robert  Luttrell.    Deprived  by  Queen  Elizabeth. 
John  Garvey,  consecrated  Bishop  of  Kilmore  in  1585, 

and    translated    to    Armagh   in    1589,  but   held    at 

the    same    time     the    Archdeaconry    of    Meath    in 

commendam. 
1603.     Owen  Wood. 
1606.     Thomas  Moyne,  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's  in  1608,  Bishop 

of  Kilmore  in  1628. 
1608.     John  Rider,  Dean    of    St.    Patrick's,  which    office    he 

exchanged   with     Moyne     for     the     Archdeaconry ; 

Bishop  of  Killaloe  in  1612. 
1613.     Randolph    Barlow,    Dean    of    Christ    Church,  Dublin, 

appointed  Archbishop  of  Tuam  in   1629,  holding  at 

the  same  time  the  archdeaconry  in  commendam. 
I^33.     John  Bramhall,  Treasurer  of  Christ  Church,  appointed 

in   1634   Bishop  of  Derry,  and  on   the   Restoration 

raised  to  the  Archbishopric  of  Armagh. 
1634.     Robert  Ussher,  Canon  of  St.  Patrick's  and  Provost  of 

Trinity  College,  consecrated  Bishop  of  Kildare  in  1635. 
1644.     Arthur  Ware. 
1 66 1.     Ambrose    Jones,     appointed    Bishop    of    Kildare    in 

1667. 

1678.     William  Jones. 
1681.     Henry  Cottingham. 
1698.     James  Moorecraft. 
1723.     George  Lewis. 
1730.     William  Smyth,  Dean  of  Ardfert 
1732.     James  Smyth. 
I759-     Charles  Stone. 
1799.     Thomas  De  Lacy. 
1844.     Edward  Adderly  Stopford. 
1872.     Edward  Fleetwood  Berry,  Vicar  of  Trim. 
1875.     Charles   Parsons    Reichel,   Dean   of    Clonmacnoise    in 

1882,  consecrated  Bishop  of  Meath  in  1885. 
1882.     Garrett  Nugent. 
1898.     Graham  Craig. 
1900.     John  Rennison. 


278  APPENDIX 

V. 
DEANS  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 

Thomas,  elected  Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise  in  1236. 

Gilbert,  elected  Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise  in  1280. 

Cormac  MacCoghlan,  died  in  1426. 

Odo  O'Molan,  deprived  by  the  Primate  in  1549.     As  no 
successor   was   appointed   until    1561,    the    year    in 
which  he  died,  it  would  appear  that  the  deprivation 
was  not  effective. 
1561.     William  Flynn. 

Miler  M'Clery  was  Dean  in  1579. 
1601.     William  Leicester. 

1628.  Marcus  Lynch,  became  Prebendary  of  Tuam  next  year. 

1629.  Richard  Price. 

1633.  Samuel  Clarke. 

1634.  William     Burley,     Prebendary     of     Tipper     in     St. 

Patrick's,  Dublin. 

1661.     John  Kerdiffe,  D.D.,  was  Fellow  of  T.C.D. 
1668.     Henry    Cottingham,    became    Archdeacon    of    Meath 

in  1681. 

1681.     Theophilus  Harrison,  Canon  of  Kildare. 
16 —      Stephen    Handcock,    deprived    under    James    II.,  but 

restored  by  King  William  and  Queen  Mary. 

1697.     Theophilus  Harrison,  probably  the  same  as   Harrison 

appointed  in   1681.      He  was  appointed  Prebendary 

of  Clonmethan  in  St.  Patrick's,  Dublin,  in  1702,  but 

continued  to  hold  the  Deanery  until  his  death  in  1720. 

1720.     Anthony  Dopping,  son  of  the  Bishop  of  Meath,  became 

Bishop  of  Ossory  in  1741. 
1742.     John    Owen,    D.D.,    Prebendary    of    Christ    Church, 

Dublin. 
1761.     Arthur    Champagne,    D.D.,    Prebendary    of     Kildare 

and  Vicar  of  Mullingar. 

1800.     Charles  Mongan   Warburton,   D.D.,   Dean  of  Ardagh. 
He  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Limerick  in  1806,  and 
in  1820  was  translated  to  Cloyne. 
1806.     Thomas  Vesey  Dawson. 
1811.     Henry  Roper,  D.D. 
1847.     Richard  Butler,  D.D.,  Vicar  of  Trim. 
1862.     John  Brownlow,  Rector   of  Ardbraccan. 
1882.     Charles     Parsons     Reichel,     consecrated     Bishop     of 

Meath  in  1885. 

1885.     Francis  Swifte,  Rector  of  Mullingar. 
1900.     Graham  Craig. 

1904.     Richard    Stuart    Dobbs    Campbell,    D.D.,   Rector    of 
Athlone. 


APPENDIX  279 

VI. 

ARCHDEACONS  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 

Milo  Mac  Thady  O'Connor,  became   Bishop  of  Elphin 

in  1260. 

Philip  O'Dullachan,  was  Archdeacon  in  1366. 
James  MacCoghlan,  son  of  the   Bishop,  was   killed  in 

1444. 

1444.  Irelius  O'Melachlin. 
1568.  Malachi  Dolaghan. 
1579.  Ferdoragh  Malone,  held  the  Archdeaconry  until 

1616. 

1620.     Joseph     or     John     Ankers,    was    Vicar     of     Athlone, 
Bally loughloe,  and  Kilcleagh  in  1608. 

1638.  Neill    Molloy,    Precentor   of    Kildare.     In    1622    he   is 

mentioned  as  Vicar  of  Fircall. 

1639.  Richard  Lingard,  Vicar  of  Athlone. 


vir. 

CANONS  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 

1398.     Bernard  Ycellaydi. 

Florence  O'Shruan,  was  a  Canon  in  1444. 


VIII. 

ARCHDEACONS  OF  KELLS. 

The  Rectory  of  Nobber  was  united  to  this  dignity, 
for  which  reason  the  holder  is  sometimes  styled  "  Arch- 
deacon of  Nobber." 

1047.  Cuduiligh. 

1276.  -  Synan. 

1287.  Thomas    St.    Leger,    appointed    Bishop    of    Meath  in 

1287. 

1315.  William  St.  Leger. 

1362.  Henry  Powell. 

1380.  Walter  de  Brugge. 

1384.  Adam  Naas. 

1401.  The  Bishop  of  Telese  in  Campania. 


280  APPENDIX 

1418.  Robert  Sutton. 

1423.  John  Stanyhurst. 

1534.  Charles  Reynolds. 

1535.  Thomas  Lock  wood,  Dean  of  Christ  Church  in  1543. 
1565.  Thomas  Lancaster. 

In  1544  the  Archdeaconry  of  Kells  was  united  to 
the  Bishopric.  The  appointment  of  Thomas  Lancaster 
in  1565  shows  that  the  union  did  not  become  effective 
until  some  years  later. 


IX. 

CANONS  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CATHEDRAL  OF  ST.  PATRICK, 

DUBLIN. 

AFTER  the  disestablishment  of  the  Church  it  was 
decided  to  make  St.  Patrick's  a  National  Cathedral, 
and  it  was  arranged  that  each  diocese  should  elect  a 
representative  canon.  The  Prebend  of  Tipper  was 
allotted  to  Meath  ;  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
this  canonry  was  held  in  1546  by  Christopher  Gaffney, 
Rector  of  Castlerickard  ;  in  1567  by  William  Leech, 
Vicar  of  Dunshaughlin  ;  in  1615  by  Gilbert  Purdon, 
Rector  of  Paynestown  ;  in  1634  by  William  Burley, 
Dean  of  Clonmacnoise  ;  and  in  1801  by  Hill  Benson, 
who  was  appointed  to  Ballymaglasson,  though  he  did 
not  accept  the  parish. 

1872.  Charles  Parsons  Reichel,  Bishop  of  Meath  in  1885. 
1885.  James  Bennett  Keene,  Bishop  of  Meath  in  1897. 
1897.  John  Healy. 


X. 

SUCCESSION  OF  THE  CLERGY. 

ATTEMPTS  have  been  made  from  time  to  time  to  draw 
up  a  list  of  the  clergy  in  the  several  parishes  in  the 
diocese.  Bishop  Dopping,  in  one  of  his  manuscripts, 
gives  a  few  names,  from  which  it  would  appear  that 


APPENDIX  28l 

he  had  some  such  idea  in  his  mind,  but  he  does  not 
seem  to  have  followed  it  up.  Archdeacon  Stopford 
began  a  similar  task,  and  made  some  progress  ;  the 
result  of  his  labours  is  contained  in  a  book  which  is 
at  present  preserved  in  the  Registry  of  the  Diocese. 
The  most  complete  list,  however,  is  that  drawn  up  by 
the  late  Rev.  William  Reynell,  whose  industry  in  all 
manner  of  research  was  a  marvel  to  those  who  knew  him. 
The  present  author,  being  unaware  of  what  Mr.  Reynell 
had  done,  went  practically  over  the  same  ground.  On 
the  death  of  Mr.  Reynell  his  note-books  dealing  with 
the  Diocese  of  Meath  were  purchased  by  the  Rev.  J. 
E.  Preston,  Rector  of  Julianstown,  and  by  his  courtesy 
the  author  has  been  allowed  to  compare  his  own  lists 
with  those  of  Mr.  Reynell.  Although  in  the  main 
agreeing,  they,  in  nearly  every  parish,  supplement 
one  another.  The  principal  sources  of  information  are 
the  First  Fruits  Returns,  the  Register  of  Institutions, 
and  the  Visitation  Returns.  Many  names,  however, 
have  been  gleaned  from  other  sources — so  many  that 
it  is  quite  evident  that  the  officials  must  often  have 
forgotten  to  make  regular  entries.  The  lists  that 
follow  are  not  given  as  being  in  any  sense  complete,  but 
the  author  trusts  that  they  may  be  found  useful  as  a 
groundwork  for  further  investigation. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  date  prefixed  to  a  name 
is  the  ascertained  date  of  the  commencement  of  the 
incumbency  ;  the  date  following  a  name  is  the  ascer- 
tained termination  of  the  incumbency.  When  the 
year  is  given  between  brackets  it  signifies  that  the 
clergyman  is  known  to  have  held  the  incumbency  at 
that  date,  but  that  no  evidence  has  been  found  to  fix 
it  either  as  the  beginning  or  the  end.  Where  the  word 
"  Preacher  "  is  appended,  it  means  that  the  appoint- 
ment was  made  under  Oliver  Cromwell. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  UPPER  KELLS. 

UP  to  1854  there  was  only  one  Deanery  of  Kells. 
Since  that  date  it  has  been  divided  into  two,  Upper 
and  Lower. 


282 


APPENDIX- 


UNION  OF  KELLS. 

Consists  of  Kells,  Dulane,  Balrathboyne,  and 
Balrathburry. 

IN  the  oldest  records  these  parishes  are  said  to  have 
been  united  "  time  out  of  mind."  With  the  exception 
of  Kells,  however,  none  of  the  churches  seem  to  have 
been  used  since  the  time  of  the  Reformation.  The 
Rector  of  this  Union,  up  to  the  time  of  disestablish- 
ment, held  also  the  Archdeaconry  of  Meath.  Balrath- 
boyne was  separated  from  the  Union  and  formed  into 
a  perpetual  curacy  in  1844,  but  was  reunited  to  Kells 
in  1892.  The  Church  of  Kells  (St.  Columba)  was  built 
in  1778.  The  steeple,  which  stands  separate  from 
the  church,  is  part  of  the  pre- Reformation  building. 
When  the  church  was  rebuilt,  a  spire  was  put  on  this 
steeple,  which  seems  to  have  been  of  wood,  and  was 
blown  down  in  a  storm.  The  present  spire  was  erected 
by  Lord  Bective  in  1783.  The  Church  of  Balrathboyne 
(St.  Baithen)  was  built  in  1844,  on  a  new  site  in  Charles- 
fort  demesne.  An  iron  church  was  erected  at  Balrath 
Burry  by  the  late  Mr.  Nicholson,  and  was  licensed  for 
public  worship  in  1877. 


ii —  Helias. 

1190  Ralph  le  Petit. 

1222    R—  — . 

1235  Simon  de  Burford 
1264  Richard  of  Malmesbury. 
1269  John  de  Dumbilton. 
1289  John  de  Kenelve. 
1295  William  de  Sidan. 
1325  William  St.  Leger. 
1350  Robert  de  Emeldon. 

1361  Matthew  Crumpe. 

1362  Adam  Owen. 
1369  Henry  Poole. 
1372  Matthew  Crumpe. 
1374  Andrew  Brandon. 
1386  Thomas  Sprott. 
1388  William  Carleil. 
1400  Thomas  Bathe. 

1407  William     or     Walter 

Young. 
1450  John  White. 


1489  Christopher  Dowdall. 
1528  Christopher  Dowdall. 
1540  John  Chambre. 

1558  Robert  Luttrell. 

1559  John    Garvey. 
1603  Owen  Wood. 
1606  Thomas  Moigne. 
1608  John  Rider. 
1613  Randolph  Barlow. 

1633  John  Bramhall. 

1634  Robert  Ussher. 
1644  Arthur  Ware. 
1661  Ambrose  Jones. 
1678  William  Jones. 
1681  Henry  Cottingham. 
1698  James  Moorecraft. 
1723  George  Lewis. 
1730  William  Smyth. 
1732  James  Smyth. 
1759  Charles  Stone. 
1799  Thomas  De  Lacy. 


APPENDIX 


283 


1844  Edward     Adderly 

Stopford,  D.D. 
1872  Joseph  S.  Bell,  LL.D. 
1887  John    Healy,    LL.D. 

Curates. 

William  Smith  (1622) 
1729  John  Power. 

Currell  Smith  (1733) 
1739  Stephen  Bootle. 

1747  J.  Stanley  Monck. 

1748  Henry  Roberts. 
1752  Dixie  Blundell. 
1760  Christopher  Betty. 
1770  John  Falkiner. 
1773  William  T.  Jones. 
1779  John  Patterson. 
1788  Francis  Ennis. 
1794  Went  worth  Shields. 
1796  Jason  Crawford. 
1800  Thomas  Morris. 
1808  Frederick    Augustus 

Morris. 

1812  John  Robert  Moffat. 
1821  Richard  Bell  Booth. 
1844  John  Hopkins. 


1846  William  Mills. 
1849  William  Kempston. 

1855  Bartholomew  Labarte. 

1856  Garrett  Nugent. 

1857  John  Swifte  Joly. 
1862  Charles  C.  Fuller  ton. 

1864  H.  H.  Mac  Adams. 

1865  John  A.  Cross. 
1872  F.  L.  Meares. 

1872  H.  de  Burgh  Sidley. 

1876  Thomas  R.  Rice. 

1877  W.  J.  Kingsborough. 

1880  Alexander  M 'Cully. 

1881  Charles  P.  Grierson. 
1883  R.  R.  Graham. 

1885  John  N.  Lombard. 

1886  George  Healy. 

1887  Edmund  Lombard. 
1892  Jonathan  Oswald  Airth 

Richardson. 

1895  Charles  Edward  Hardy. 
1898  Frederick  W.  Knight. 
1901  Beresford   Townsend 

Gahan. 
1907  Marcus     Henry     Moore 

Given. 


UNION   OF   MOYNALTY. 

Consists  of  Moynalty,  Newtown,  Kilbeg,  Robertstown, 

and  Emlagh. 

The  union  of  Newtown,  Kilbeg,  Robertstown,  and 
Emlagh  was  formed  in  1802,  and  these  parishes  were 
joined  to  Moynalty  after  disestablishment.  The 
Church  of  Moynalty  (St.  Mary)  was  built  in  1819. 
Originally  the  church  of  the  union  of  Newtown  was 
at  Kilbeg,  but  later  the  Church  of  Newtown  was 
erected,  and  is  still  in  use. 


MOYNALTY. 

1416  Peter  de  la  Felde. 
1564  Nicholas     Talbot 

John  Carte  (1604). 
1618  Thomas  Smyth. 

John  Brookes  (1634). 
1641  Henry  Pemberton. 
1674  William  Jones. 


1681  Thcophilus  Harrison. 

1682  George  Proud. 
1693  Thomas  Tucker. 
1740  Charles  Meredith. 
1745  John  Brett,  D.D. 
1768  Edward  Day. 
1772  Charles  Woodward. 
1793  Hon.  Edward  Taylour. 


284 


APPENHFX 


1803  WiUiam  Kellctt. 
1851  Henry  Brougham. 
1865  John  W.  Dundas,  D.D. 
1893  John  Beatty,  LL.D. 
1907  Bennett    Samuel     Rad- 
cliffe. 

Curates. 

1739  James  Sheridan. 
Philip  Smith  (1826). 
Charles  James  Lambert 

(1842). 

NEWTOWN. 

1618  Hugo  Skinner. 

—  William  Smyth  (1622). 
1630  Thomas  Williams. 

1666  Alexander  Abercrombie. 
1693  Thomas  Tucker. 
1728  Thomas  Tucker,  Jun. 
J733  James  Latimer. 

1740  Charles  Meredyth. 
1745  Charles   Newton. 
1748  John  Bradshaw. 
1753  Gerald  Macklin. 
1769  Thomas  Simcocks. 
1800  Went  worth  Shields. 
1829  Joseph  Stevenson. 
1863  Henry  Ashe. 

—  Frederick     Fitzwilliam 

Trench,  1869. 
1870  James  Staunton. 


Curates. 

William  Brabazon  (1826) 
1860  Johnston  H.  Acheson. 

KILBEG. 

John  Fitz  Johns  (1622) 
1684  James  Moore. 
1692  Thomas  Tucker. 

1717  Thomas  Tucker,  Jun. 
1747  John  Bradshaw. 
1769  Thomas  Simcocks. 
1800  Wentworth  Shields. 
1802  United  to  Newtown. 

ROBERTSTOWN. 

John  Fitz  Johns  (1622) 
1684  James  Moore. 
1692  Thomas  Tucker. 
1747  John  Bradshaw. 
1802  United  to  Newtown. 

EMLAGH. 

1644  Ambrose  Jones. 
1682  John  Stearne. 
1703  Thomas  Grantham. 
1709  Alexander  Abercrombie. 

1718  Thomas  Tucker. 
1747  John  Bradshaw. 
1800  Wentworth  Shields. 
1802  United  to  Newtown. 


PARISH  OF  LOUGH  AN. 

Very  little  record  of  this  parish  is  preserved. 
Ussher  makes  no  mention  of  it,  and  within  the  last 
hundred  years  the  Rural  Dean  reported  that  after 
making  diligent  enquiry  he  was  unable  to  find  it. 
There  are  two  ancient  church  sites  in  the  parish.  An 
iron  church  (St.  Kieran  the  Pious)  has  been  erected 
on  a  new  site.  The  parish  is  now  served  by  the  in- 
cumbent of  Munterconnaught,  in  the  Diocese  of 
Kilmore. 


1860  H.  Hugh  O'Neill. 
A.  G.  Elliott,  1868. 
1868  Denis  Knox. 


1885  Joseph  King. 
1890  Albert  King. 
1894  John  Thomas  Webster. 


APPENDIX  285 


PARISH  OF  KILSKYRE. 

The  Church  (St.  Sciria)  was  built  early  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  and  stands  on  the  top  of  the  hill  in  the 
village  of  Crossakeel.  The  original  site  is  about  a  mile 
distant. 

1385  John  Taaf.  1769  Hon.  Joseph  Bourke. 

1408  William  Silk.  1772  John  Andrews. 

1442  Richard  Stanyhurst.  1777  Michael  Daniel. 

Richard  Lindson  (1604)  1806  Hon.  Pierce  Butler. 

Richard  Purdam  (1622)  1808  Thomas  De  Lacy. 

1662  Thomas  Bladen,  D.D.  Henry  Ormsby,  1818. 

1664  John  Creighton,  D.D.  1844  Richard  Bell  Booth. 

1670  Richard  Duddle.  1866  John  M.  Maguire. 

1697  George  Adams.  1867  Louis  M.  Maunsell. 
1703  Ralph  Lambert. 

1709  Richard  Moreton.  Curates. 

1717  Josias  Hort.  Charles  Woodward  (1768) 

1721  Robert  Howard,  D.D.  John  O'Neill  (1826). 

1723  John  Ward.  R.  A.  Martin. 

1765  Dixie  Blundell.  1860  Richard  Booth. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  LOWER  KELLS. 

UNION    OF    KlLMAINHAM   WOOD. 

Consists  of  Kilmainham  Wood  and  Moybologue. 

The  Records  of  Kilmainham  WTood  are  very  im- 
perfect. It  is  not  mentioned  by  Ussher.  The  church 
(St.  John  the  Baptist)  was  built  in  1806.  In  1877  the 
Parish  of  Moybologue,  formerly  in  the  Diocese  of 
Kilmore,  and  a  chapel  of  ease  to  Bailieborough,  was 
united  to  this,  and  at  the  same  time  a  new  church 
(St.  Columba),  not  on  the  old  site,  was  consecrated. 

1791  John  Kellett.  1878  James  E.  H.  Murphy. 

1808  Thomas  Foster.  1882  John  Beatty,  LL.D. 

1853  Hugh  Gelston.  1896  William  F.  Legge. 

1861  Charles  Conry.  1904  Herbert  M.  C.  Hughes. 
1867  Thomas  Robinson, LL.D. 


286  APPENDIX 

UNION  OF  ENNISKEEN. 
Consists  of  Enniskeen  and  Ardagh. 

Both  these  parishes  were  formerly  united  to  the 
bishopric,  and  were  chapels  of  ease  to  Nobber.      In 

1784  Enniskeen  was  made  a  Perpetual  Curacy.      The 
church  (St.  Ernan)  was  built  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth 
century.     After  disendowment,  the  Parish  of  Ardagh 
was  united  to  Enniskeen.      The  Church  (St.  Patrick) 
was  consecrated  in  1806. 

ENNISKEEN.  Curate. 

1622  Edward  Roberts.  1873  Thomas  Rudd. 

1723  Edward  Cassidy. 

1785  James  Stopford. 

1788  John  Nevin.  ARDAGH. 

1799  Thomas  Frederick  Knipe 

Arthur  Rolleston.  1723  Edward  Cassidy. 

1816  William  Pratt.  1806  William  H.  Woods. 

James  Wolfe  Charlton.  1816  Michael  De  Courcey. 
1844  Robert  Winning.  John  M'Causland  (1825) 

Edward  Norman.  1826  William  Pratt. 

Thomas  Moriarty.  Arthur    Stephenson 

Francis  Briscoe.  (T842). 

1861  Hugh  Gelston.  Edward   Fairtlough 

1894  James  Harte.  (1848-1872). 


UNION  OF  DRAKESTOWN. 

Consists  of  Drakestown,  Castletown-Kilpatrick,  Knock, 
Staholmock,  Cruicetown,  and  Nobber. 

In  1740  a  union  was  made  of  the  Parishes  of  Drakes- 
town,  Castletown-Kilpatrick,  and  Knock.  The  church 
(St.  Patrick)  is  in  Castletown-Kilpatrick,  and  was  built 
in  1820.  In  the  old  documents  this  Parish  is  call  Kil- 
patrick,  and  it  is  sometimes  impossible  to  determine 
whether  this  or  Kilpatrick  in  the  Union  of  Rathgraffe 
is  meant.  Where  such  doubt  exists,  a  query  (?)  is  put 
after  the  name.  The  Parish  of  Nobber  was  formerly 
appropriate  to  the  Archdeaconry  of  Kells,  and  when 
that  dignity  became  attached  to  the  See,  the  bishops 
became  rectors.  The  church  (St.  John  the  Baptist) 
was  built  in  1717.  It  was  formed  into  a  Perpetual 


APPENDIX 


287 


Curacy  in  1784.  Staholmock  and  Cruicetown  were 
united  to  Syddan  in  1823,  but  the  union  does  not  seem 
to  have  taken  effect  immediately,  as  some  later 
appointments  to  these  parishes  are  noted.  The  present 
Union  of  Drakestown  was  formed  shortly  after  dis- 
establishment. 


DRAKESTOWN. 

1616  James  Trench. 
1638  John  Hoskins. 
1660  William  Sheridan. 
1660  John  Kerdiff. 

1664  Ambrose  Jones. 
1679  Mark  Ussher. 
1702  Thomas  Forbes. 
1718  Philip  Whittingham 
1740  Michael  Whittingham. 
1780  Samuel  Close. 

1813  Robert  Longfield. 
1835  Edward  Nixon. 
1847  William  Mackesy. 

1883  Charles  Faussett. 

1884  H.  B.  Hewson. 

1886  W.  W.  Burbury. 

1887  William   Frederick 

Alment. 

Curates. 

1862  John  Fleming. 
J873  James  Smyth  Franks. 

1868  Thomas  George  Irwin. 

1869  Richard  Smyth. 

CASTLETOWN-KILPATRICK. 

1386  John  Asserby(P). 

Nicholas  Boyle,  1595  (?) 
1595  Thaddeus  Boyle  (?) 

1616  Daniel  Clarke  (?). 

1617  William  Smyth. 

1665  Ambrose  Jones. 
1682  Thomas  Hawley. 
1702  Thomas  Forbes. 

1740  United  to  Drakestown. 

KNOCK. 

William  Smyth  (1622). 
1641  Nathaniel  Nanscome. 


1664  Ambrose  Jones. 

1702  Thomas  Forbes. 

1740  United  to  Drakestown. 

STAHOLMOCK. 

1613  John  Forsith. 

1621  Hugh  Symes. 

1622  Thomas  Wilson. 

1623  William  Donnellan. 
1625  William  Gleeson. 
1633  Richard  Mattheson. 
1664  Ambrose  Jones. 
1682  John  Sterne. 

1703  Thomas  Grantham. 
1721  Richard  Bolton. 

John  Bolton  1761. 
1761  John  Bradshaw. 
1769  John  Bowden. 

Marmaduke  Cramer, 

1788. 

1788  Brabazon  Disney. 
1823  United  to  Syddan. 

1830  Thomas  Birney. 

1831  Benjamin  Hobart. 

CRUICETOWN. 

—  John  Fitz  Johns  {1622). 

1628  vSamuel  Clarke. 

1664  Ambrose  Jones. 

1682  John  Sterne. 

1703  Thomas  Grantham. 

1721  Richard  Bolton. 

1761  John  Bradshaw. 

1769  John  Bowden. 

1776  Marmaduke  Cramer. 

1788  Brabazon  Disney. 

1823  United  to  Syddan. 

1830  Thomas  Birney. 

1830  Thomas  Dawson  Logan. 


288 


APPENDIX 


NOBBER. 

1418  Robert  Sutton. 
1535  Thomas  Lockwood. 

William  Medcalfe  (1622). 
1754  Thomas  White. 

John  Gorges  (1785). 


John  Gibbons  (1791). 
Thomas    Frederick 
Knipe,  1799. 

1799  James  Ellis. 

1832  John  Wynne  M'Causland. 

1868  Moritz  Kaufman. 


DEANERY  OF  SLANE. 

UNION  OF  SLANE. 
Consists  of  Slane,  Fennor,  Grangegeeth,  and 

Monknewtown. 

This  Union  seems  to  have  been  made  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  The  only  church  is  that  of  Slane 
(St.  Patrick),  which  was  built  in  1712,  and  enlarged  in 
1830. 


SLANE. 

1312  John  Fleming. 

Roger  Winter,  1386. 
1386  Robert  Sutton. 
1389  Richard  Bone vy  11. 
1402  William  Rowe. 

—  Mr.  Adyn  (1431). 
1431  William  Sutton. 

Thomas  White,  1615. 

—  Edmund    Southern 

(1633-) 

1667  Arthur  Ellis. 
1673  Dermot  Sullivan. 
1676  Laurence  Jones. 
1695  John  Burton. 
1702  John  Barton,  D.D. 
1719  Ossory  Medlicott. 

1719  Samuel  Holt. 

1720  John  Maxwell. 
1763  Bernard  Dogherty. 
1786  Mervyn  Archdall. 
1792  Thomas  Brownrigg. 

1814  Moore  Smith. 

1815  Brabazon  Disney. 
1831  John  James  Disney. 


1865  John  Westropp  Brady. 
1902  Charles  Edward  Hardy. 

Curates. 

Joseph  Ridgway. 

1857  J.  B.  Doyle. 

1858  John  Leared  Irvine. 
1860  Brabazon    Thomas 

Disney. 

FENNOR. 

Edward  Southerne 
(1622). 

—  Thomas   Bateson  (1633). 
Laurence  Jones  (1693). 

GRANGEGEETH. 
Nicholas  Tedder  (1622). 

MONKNEWTOWN. 

Nicholas  Tedder  (1622). 

—  Samuel  Holt  (1733). 


APPENDIX 


289 


UNION  OF  PAYNESTOWN. 

Consists  of  Paynestown,  Ardmulchan,  Knockcommon, 
Stackallen,  Gernonstown,  Dunmoe,  and  Rathkenny. 

The  parishes  of  Paynestown  and  Ardmulchan  were 
united  in  1672.  The  church  (St.  Mary)  is  old,  but  was 
practically  rebuilt  in  1823.  Stackallen,  Gernonstown, 
and  Dunmoe  were  united  in  1677,  but  the  union  seems 
to  have  been  ineffective,  for  they  were  again  united  in 
1803.  The  Church  (St.  Mary)  was  built  in  1815.  The 
Parish  of  Knockcommon  was  formerly  in  the  Union 
of  Duleek.  Rathkenny  Church  (St.  Canice)  is  still 
preserved,  though  no  longer  in  use.  These  churches 
were  served  by  the  same  clergyman  from  the  time  of 
disestablishment,  but  the  actual  union  did  not  take 
place  until  1902. 


PAYNESTOWN. 

—  James  Winfrey  (1546). 
1550  Cornelius  Coyne. 

1559  Terence  Larr. 

1560  Adam  Loftus. 

—  Gilbert  Purdam  (1615). 
I633  Jocelyn   Ussher. 

1684  Joslin  Barnes. 
1682  Michael  Jephson. 
1688  Lawrence  Jones. 
1695  John  Barton. 
1702  John  Barton,  D.D. 
1718  Samuel  Holt  or  Richard 
Fisher.* 

1763  Hon.  George  Maitland. 

1764  Hon.  Thomas  Stopford. 
1794  Brinsley  Nixon. 

1799  George  Brabazon. 

1807  George  Brabazon. 

1851  Somerset  Lowry  Towns- 
end. 

1854  Peter    D.    Digges    La 
Touche. 

1902  William  Coates  Harvey, 
LL.D. 


Curates. 

1615  William  Mulligan. 

—  Edward   Sowtherne 

(1622). 

—  J.  Burton  (1733)- 
1850  Francis  R.  Sadleir. 

ARDMULCHAN. 

1542  Roger  Doreham. 
1550  Cornelius  Coyne. 

William  Phillips  (1622). 
1628  Samuel  Clarke. 

1671  Richard  Tennison. 

1672  United    to    Paynestown 

Curate. 
1693  Laurence  Jones. 

KNOCKCOMMON. 

—  William  Hayley  (1622). 

—  William  Lloyde  (1633). 

—  Launcelot    Dowdall 

(1713)- 
1816  United  to  Duleek. 


*  Holt,  according  to  Diocesan  Register  ;     Fisher,  according  to  First  Fruits 
Book. 

VOL.    II.  U 


APPENDIX 


STACKALLEN. 

—  John  Staneyhurst,  1413. 
1413  Christopher  Hunt. 

—  Edward  Sowtherne 

(1622). 

1688  Edward  Parkinson. 
1721  Richard  Fisher. 
1768  William  Nesbitt. 

—  William  Marshall  (1799). 
1800  George  Hardman. 

1828  Brabazon      William 
Disney. 

—  John  Hopkins,  1842. 
1852  Thomas    Gordon 

Caulfield. 

1854  Peter  Digges  La  Touche. 
1859  Paulus  O.  Singer. 

1867  Achilles  Daunt. 

—  Frederick  Wetherell. 

1868  John  H.  Freke. 

Curates. 

—  Thomas  Green  (1693). 

—  Francis  D.   Hamilton 

(1826). 

1859  Mervyn  Archdall  Clare. 
1863  Edward  AugustusLester. 

GERNONSTOWN. 

1616  William  Hayley. 
1632  Thomas  Bateson. 
1636  William  Meoles. 
1665.  Darby  Sullivan. 

Edward    Parkinson 
(1676). 


1721  Richard  Fisher. 
1800  United  to  Stackallen. 

DUNMOE. 

Robert  Nicoll  (1622). 

Roger  Puttock. 
1641  John  Bodkin. 
1721  Richard  Fisher. 
1800  United  to  Stackallen. 

RATHKENNY. 

1542  John  Tyrrell. 

John   Robynson  (1622). 
1630  William  Lloyd. 
1665  Roger  Jones. 
1667  William  Meoles. 
1670  William  Meoles. 
1673  James  Mandesley. 

—  John  C.  Brown  (1693). 
1696  Richard  Reader,  D.D. 
1699  Arthur  Forbes,  Sen. 

—  John  Grace  (1733)- 

—  Thomas  Greene,  1743* 
1743  Arthur  Forbes,  Jun. 
1784  Charles  Roberts. 
1800  Robert  Henry. 

1808  Barry  M 'Gusty. 

1814  Anthony  Adams. 

1832  Robert   Patrick   Dansey 

Hamilton. 

John     William    Allison, 
1872. 

Curate. 
Francis  Davidson  (1826). 


UNION  OF  DRUMCONRATH. 

Consists    of   Drumconrath,    Innismot,    Loughbraccan, 
Syddan,  Killary,  and  Mitchelstown. 

Drumconrath  Church  (St.  Peter)  was  erected  in 
1766.  The  Union  of  Syddan,  Killary,  and  Mitchels- 
town was  made  in  1734.  The  Church  of  Syddan  (St. 
David)  is  a  new  one,  and  was  built  by  a  bequest  of  the 
late  Miss  Elizabeth  Ball.  It  was  consecrated  in  1881. 
Innismot  retained  its  independent  existence  until 
1833,  when  it  was  "  suspended,"  there  being  no  church, 


APPENDIX 


2QI 


and  only  five  Protestant  parishioners.  Loughbraccan 
was  formerly  in  the  Union  of  Nobber,  but  was  trans- 
ferred to  this  Union  when  it  was  formed,  consequent 
on  disestablishment. 


DRUMCONRATH. 

1387  Nicholas  Fleming. 

Thomas  White  (1622). 

1635  Augustus  Arland  Ussher. 

1680  Robert  Parkinson. 

1699  Arthur  Forbes. 

1737  Arthur  Forbes,  jun. 

1783  Bartholomew     Lutley 
Scleater. 

1791  Hon.  Richard  Bourke. 

1795  Hon.  Joseph  Bourke. 

1795  Hon.  Hamilton  Cuffe. 

1811  James  Wilmot  Ormsby. 

1813  John    William    Keating, 
D.D. 

1817  Henry  Dawson. 

1819  Hon.  Skeffington  Preston 

1844  Edward  Michael  Hamil- 
ton. 
—    Lyndon    Henry     Bolton 

(1868). 

R.    Gordon     Cumming, 
1872. 

1872  Samuel  Law. 

1892  William  J.  Kittson. 

1896  Stephen  Radcliff. 

Curates. 

1855  James  J.  Duncan. 
1861  Matthew  Lord  Eaton. 

INNISMOT. 

William  Metcalfe  (1622). 
1737  Arthur  Forbes. 
1783  William  R.  Hawley. 
1799  Valentine  Duke. 

William  Hawkins  (1799). 
1807  George  Brabazon. 

Brabazon     W.     Disney 
(1826). 

LOUGHBRACCAN. 
1410  William  Alexander. 
1621  John  Forseath. 


1621  Nathaniell  Chapman. 
1639  James  Beswicke. 

SYDDAN. 

1544  Henry  Teeling. 

1545  Edward  Karlan. 
1553  Maurice  Flanagan. 

William  Medcalfe  (1622) 
1685  John  Stearne. 
1693  Thomas  Whalley. 
1729  John  Bradshaw. 
1769  John  Boden. 

1776  Marmaduke  Cramer. 

1777  Robert  Erving. 
1788  Brabazon  Disney. 
1823  Brabazon  W.  Disney. 

1828  George  Hardman. 

1829  William  Brabazon,  1872. 

Curates. 

1860  Alexander  Mulholland. 

1868  John  Carter. 

1869  John  William  Allison. 

K1LLARY. 

1560  Richard  Birmingham. 

1622  George  Sing. 
1626  William  Griffin. 
1630  Richard  Lingard. 

John  Caryford. 

James  Beswicke. 
1661  John  Matthews. 
1677  Robert  Erwing. 
1685  John  Sterne. 
1687  James  Grantham. 
1700  Thomas  Grantham. 

1703  John  Sterne. 

1704  Michael  Hartlie. 
1729  John  Bradshaw. 
1741  Thomas  Whalley. 
1741  Isaac  Mann. 
1751  Oliver  Brady. 


292 


APPENDIX 


1761  Thomas  or  John  Lucas. 
1769  John  Bowden. 
1776  Marmaduke  Cramer. 
1786  James  Stopford. 
1788  Brabazon  Disney. 
1797  George  Lambart. 
1820  William  Gregory. 


MlTCHELSTOWN. 

William  Medcalfe  (1622). 
1685  John  Stearne. 
1693  Thomas  Whalley. 
1729  John  Bradshaw. 
1734  United  to  Syddan. 


UNION   OF  DONAGHPATRICK. 

Consists  of  Donaghpatrick,  Kilberry,  Clongill,  Kilshine, 

and  Teltown. 

A  new  Church  (St.  Patrick)  has  been  built  rat 
Donaghpatrick  by  Mr.  Thomas  Gerrard,  which  was 
consecrated  in  1897.  The  Union  of  Donaghpatrick  and 
Kilberry  was  formed  in  1801.  Clongill  and  Kilshine 
were  united  in  1809,  and  they  still  remain  technically 
a  separate  Union  ;  for,  although  served  by  the  Rector 
of  Donaghpatrick,  the  union  with  that  Parish  has 
never  been  ratified  by  the  Synod.  Kilshine  Church 
(St.  Sinche)  was  consecrated  in  1812. 


DONAGHPATRICK. 

1551  Redmond  Ledwich. 

John  Wingfield  (1622). 
—    William  Davyes,  1628. 

1638  George  Dunbar. 

1639  Robert  Worrall. 
1660  William  Sheridan. 
1677  Laurence  Jones. 
1683  Edward  Roberts. 
1724  David  Roberts. 
1761  Joseph  Pasley. 

1772  Nathaniel    or    Willianf 

Preston. 

1796  John  O'Connor. 
1803  George  O'Connor. 
1843  George  Everard. 
1863  Henry  Thomas  Wilmot. 
1863  William  Maziere  Brady, 

D.D. 

1872  Duncan  J.  Brownlow. 
1882  John  Andrew  Jennings. 
1896  Duncan    J.    Brownlow 

(re-appointed). 
1904  Henry  Edmund  Patton. 


Curates. 

Richard  Carter  (1842). 
1870  Francis  M.  Hanlon. 

KILBERRY. 
1449  John  Stackboll. 

—  William  Botiller  (1498). 

—  Edward  Delahyde   1535. 
1535  Robert  Luttrell. 

1560  Richard  Birmingham. 

1561  William  Brady. 
1584  John  Arward. 
1616  William  Davis. 

—  William  Phillips  (1622). 
1628  Samuel  Clarke. 

1633  William  Smith. 
1 68 1  John  Twells. 
1671  Henry  Cottingham. 
1688  William  Lightburne. 

Thomas  Greene,  1743. 
1743  William  Paine. 
1767  Richard  Godley,  D.D. 
1791  Richard  Vincent. 
1801  United       to       Donagh- 
patrick. 


APPENDIX 


293 


KlLSHlNE, 

1638  John  Hoskins. 
1660  John  Kerdiff. 
1672  Edward  Williams. 
1674  James  Moore  Clarke. 
1692  Edward  Roberts. 
1724  Henry  Roberts. 
1763  Gerard  Macklin. 
1771  Dawson  Crow. 
1790  Wardlaw  Ball. 
1805  Robert  Barker. 
1809  Thomas  Sutton. 
1844  Anthony  Blackburne. '"' 
1850  Thomas  Adderley  Stop- 
ford. 

Curates. 

1850  Thomas  Burton. 
1862  Thomas  Irwin. 


CLONGILL. 

—     Robert  Haket  (1422). 
1616  James  Trench. 
1638  John  Hoskins. 
1660  John  Kerdiff. 
1671  Edward  Williams. 
1673  Richard  Jones. 
1638  Edward  Roberts. 
1729  Theophilus  Roberts. 
1780  William  Hale. 
1788  Francis  Taylor. 

Francis  Jones  (1789). 

1792  Thomas  Butler. 

1793  Mungo  H.  Noble. 

1 809  United  ^to  ^Kilshine . 

TELTOWN. 

16 —  William  Davys. 
1660  William  Sheridan. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  DULEEK. 

UNION  OF  DULEEK. 
Consists  of  Duleek,  Ardcath,  Dowth,  and  Timoole. 

The  Union  of  Duleek  was  formed  in  1816.  The 
only  church  is  that  of  Duleek  (St.  Keenan),  which 
was  built  in  1816  and  consecrated  in  1826.  The  ruins 
of  the  old  abbey  church  stand  in  the  graveyard. 


DULEEK. 

1616  William   Hayley,    St. 
Kennies. 

—  Edward  Hayward  (1622), 

St.  Mary's. 

—  William  Hayward  (1633), 

St.  Mary's. 

—  William  Lloyd  (1633), 

(St.  Kennies). 

—  Thomas  Bladin,  preacher 

(1658). 

—  John  C.  Brown  (1693). 


Mr.  Higgins  (1694). 
1708  J.  or  Henry  Echlin. 
1716  John  Hatch. 
1719  Launcelot  Dowdall. 
1753  William  Bradish. 
1788  William    Slessor  Hamil- 
ton. 

1813  Moore  Morgan. 

1814  Joseph  Turner. 
1831  Edward  Batty. 

1856  J.    George    Digges    La 

Touche. 
1863  Alfred  Hamilton. 


294 


APPENDIX 


1863  William  Hoyte. 
1868  Brabazon  W.  Brunker. 
1878  Henry  Ashe. 
1906  Charles  Horatio  Walter 
Hammick. 

ARDCATH. 

—  John  Bolt  (1421). 
1533  Edward  Serle. 
1616  William  Hayley. 

William  Lloyde  (1633). 
1670  William  Meoles. 
1700  James  Cooper. 
1712  Piers  Collingwood. 
1793  Robert  Shanley. 
1813  Moore  Morgan. 
1816  United  to  Duleek. 

DOWTH. 

—  Nicholas  Tedder  (1622). 


1667  Arthur  Ellis. 
1674  George  Booker. 
1692  John  C.  Brown. 

1699  Thomas  Cox. 
John  Echlin  (1733). 

1753  William  Bradish. 
1816  United  to  Duleek. 

Curate. 

—  Launcelot   Dowdall 

(1733). 

TlMOOLE. 

—  Richard  Coffy  (1622). 
1673  William  Meoles. 

1700  James  Cooper. 
1712  Piers  Collingwood. 
1793  Robert  Shanley. 
1813  Moore  Morgan. 
1816  United  to  Duleek. 


UNION  OF  ST.  MARY'S,  DROGHEDA. 
Consists  of  St.  Mary's,  Colpe,  Mornington,  and  Donore. 

St.  Mary's  Church  was  erected  in  1810.  The  Union 
of  Colpe,  Mornington,  and  Kilsharvan  was  formed  in 
1826.  After  disestablishment,  Colpe  and  Mornington, 
with  Donore,  were  joined  to  Drogheda,  and  Kilsharvan 
was  transferred  to  Julianstown.  Colpe  Church  (St. 
Columba)  was  built  in  1809. 


ST.  MARY'S,  DROGHEDA. 

1376  Bartholomew  Dullard. 

Robert  Sutton,  13^6. 
1387  Roger  Winter. 
1615  John  Egerton. 
1618  Robert  Burton. 
1660  Thomas  Burton. 

Michael  Briscoe,  preacher 
(1658) 

—  ffaithful  Geale,  preacher 

(1658). 

—  John     Hook,     preacher 

(1658). 

1683  John  Mandsley. 
1708  John  Echlin. 


1763  Thomas  Ferguson. 
1768  Samuel  Lindsay. 
1774  Humphrey  French,  D.D. 
1778  Charles  Crawford. 
1821  James  Crawford. 
1844  Richard  Carter. 
1862  James  Rynd  Briscoe. 
1872  John  Archer. 
1905  Thomas  Redmond  Brun- 
skill. 

Curates. 

1756  Richard  Bun  worth      ^ 
James  Hamilton  (1818). 
1846  Richard  Carter. 


APPENDIX 


295 


1868  Arthur  William  Wynne 

Durham. 

1889  William  M'Kenna. 
1898  William  Coates  Harvey. 
1901  Herbert  A.  S.  Merrick. 
1904  Charles   Horatio  Walter 

Hammick. 

COLPE. 

—     Robert  Burton  (1622). 

John  Echlin  (1733). 
1763  Samuel  Preston. 
1780  Felix  O'Neill. 
1784  John  Barrett. 
1793  John  Lever. 

1807  Moore  Morgan. 

1808  Robert  Gore  Whistler. 
1813  Robert  Whistler. 


1815  Hugh  Shields. 
1820  Charles  Ferguson. 
1826  Alexander    Johnston 

Montgomery. 
1841  Joseph  Druitt. 

1869  Danby  Jeff  ares. 

Curate. 

1870  John  W.  Chambers. 

MORNINGTON. 

—  Robert  Burton  (1622). 

DONORE. 

—  Launcelot     Dowdall 

(1622). 
1719  Robert  Burton. 


UNION  OF  JULIANSTOWN. 

Consists  of  Julianstown,  Ballygarth,   Clonalvey, 
Kilsharvan,  Moorechurch,  and  Stamullen. 

•  ^  The  Union  of  Julianstown,  Moorechurch,  Stamullen, 
and  Clonalvey,  was  made  in  1813.  Ballygarth  was  an 
independent  Parish,  though  without  a  church,  until 
1844,  when,  on  the  death  of  John  Burdett,  the  tithes 
were  vested  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners.  Kil- 
sharvan was  added  to  this  Union  after  disestablish- 
ment. The  Church  of  Julianstown  (St.  Mary)  was 
built  in  1770.  Within  recent  times  it  was  completely 
restored  and  almost  rebuilt,  though  some  of  the  old 
work  still  remains.  It  is  now  being  enlarged,  and  a 
handsome  steeple  is  being  erected,  by  Colonel  Pepper, 
D.L.,  of  Ballygarth  Castle. 


JULIANSTOWN  OR  NANY. 

1615  Thomas  Lees. 
1628  Launcelot  Lowther. 
1660  Thomas  Burton. 
1673  Henry  Goldwyer. 
1673  William  Meols. 
1688  Gabriel  Meols. 
1694  Thomas  Langdall. 


1700  James  Cooper. 
1712  Piers  Collingwood. 
1732  Stewart  Wilder. 
1771  Anthony  French. 
1780  Henry  Blacker. 
1793  William  Slessor  Hamil- 
ton. 

1813  Robert  Shanley. 
1821  John  W.  Beauman. 


296 


APPENDIX 


1828  William  Vandeleur. 

1844  Henry  Moore. 

1879  Frederick  Henry  Smith, 

M.D. 
1884  John  Evans  Preston. 

Curate. 

—  Edward    Fairtlough 

(1842). 

BALLYGARTH. 

1392  William  White. 
1398  Robert  May. 

John   Derbishire   (1604). 
1615  Richard  Purdon. 

—  Thomas  Lees  (1622). 
1679  Thomas  Fitz  Symons. 
1688  Gabriel  Meols. 

1693  William  Meols. 

1694  Thomas  Langdall. 
1706  Henry  Matthews. 
1740  Daniel  Jackson. 
1746  John  Jackson. 
1774  Richard  Moore. 
1776  John  Bayly. 
I799  Jonn  Burdett. 
1841  Suspended. 

CLONALVEY. 

—  Nicholas  Tedder  (1622). 
1637  Adam  Jones. 

1692  Joceline  Barnes. 
1692  John  Brown. 
1708  Henry  Echlin. 
1716  John  Hatch. 
1720  Launcelot  Dowdall. 
1753  William  Bradish. 

—  William   Slessor   Hamil- 

ton, 1813. 

1813  Robert  Shanley. 
1821  United  to    Julianstown. 

Curates, 

—  Thomas  Langdall  (1693). 
1708  John  Echlin. 

KlLSHARVAN. 

—  Adam  Jones  (1622). 
1651  Thomas  Burton. 


1688  Thomas  Burton. 
1692  John  Brown. 
1705  Henry  Moore. 
1708  Henry  Echlin. 
1716  J.  Echlin. 
1716  John  Hatch. 
1763  Thomas  Ferguson. 

Charles  Ferguson,  1826. 
1826  Alexander  Johnston. 

Curate. 
Thomas  Langdale  (1693) 

MOORECHURCH. 

1541  William  Pentney. 
1615   Thomas  Lees. 
1628  Launcelot  Lowther. 
1673  William  Meols. 
1688  Gabriel  Meols. 
1700  James  Cooper. 
1712  Piers  Collingwood. 
1771  Anthony  French. 
1780  Henry  Blacker. 
1821  United  to  Julians  town. 

STAMULLEN. 

1398  Hugh  Lange. 
1403  Philip  Blake. 

Thomas  Comwalsh. 

—  Thomas  Caddell,  1536. 
1536  Simon  Geffrey. 

1615  Thomas  Lees. 

1616  William  Hagley. 
1628  Henry  Leslie. 
1632  Thomas  Butson. 
1636  William  Meoles. 
1688  Thomas  Burton. 
1692  Joceline  Barnes. 
1692  John  Brown. 
1708  Henry  Echlin. 
1716  John  Hatch. 

1720  Launcelot  Dowdall. 
1753  William  Bradish. 
1789  William  Slessor  Hamil- 
ton. 

Curates. 

—  John  Echlin  (1622). 

_    Thomas  Langdall   (1693), 
1708  John  Echlin. 


APPENDIX 


297 


UNION  OF  KENTSTOWN. 

Consists   of   Kentstown,   Danestown,   Ballymagarvey, 
Brownstown,   Staffordstown,   and   Rathfeigh. 

The  Union  of  Kentstown,  Danestown,  and  Bally- 
magarvey was  made  in  1801.  Rathfeigh  and  Staffords- 
town  were  formerly  in  the  Union  of  Skryne,  to  which 
they  were  united  in  1677.  The  Church  of  Kentstown 
(St.  Mary)  was  erected  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 


KENTSTOWN. 

Luke  Ussher  (1622). 
1677  Laurence  Jones. 
1702  John  Barton,  D.D. 
1718  John  Matthews. 
1724  Patrick  Lyon. 
1759  Bernard  Dogherty. 
1786  James  Stopford. 
1786  John  Ball. 
1800  John  Toler. 
1832  Richard  George. 

—  Charles  J.  Lambert, 1857. 
1857  John  George  Brighton. 
1872  Andrew  Robinson. 
1878  Alfred  T.  Harvey. 
1886  Edward  Goff. 

1898  James  Henry  Rice. 

Curates. 

1826  Henry  Gibson. 
1868  Oliver  Brighton. 

DANESTOWN. 

Richard  Hone,  1549. 
1549    Christopher' Gaffney. 

Nicholas  Bocham  (1622). 
J637  James  Beswicke. 
1682  Laurence  Jones. 
1695  John  Burton. 
1702  John  Barton,  D.D. 
1718  Richard  Fisher. 
1785  Charles  Roberts. 

1800  Robert  Henry. 

1801  United   to   Kentstown 

Curate. 

—  Patrick  Lyon  (1733). 


BALLYMAGARVEY. 

—  Richard  Hone,  1549. 
1549  Christopher  Gaffney. 

1619  William  Hayward. 

1620  Edward  Hayward. 
1671  John  Fitzgerald. 
1684  Joceline  Barnes. 
1718  Charles  Cobb. 
1720  Samuel  Holt. 
1737  Hanover  Sterling. 
1763  Bernard  Dogherty. 
1763  Charles  Agur. 
1785  Charles  Roberts. 

1800  Robert  Henry. 

1801  United  to  Kentstown. 

BROWNSTOWN. 

1637  James  Carey,  first  Rec- 

tor. 

Curates. 

—  Laurence  Jones  (1693). 
1725  Patrick  Lyon. 

STAFFORDSTOWN. 

—  Laurence  Jones  (1693). 

RATHFEIGH. 

—  Godfrey  Loftus  (1604). 
1619  John  Bathe. 

1630  William  Fitzgerald. 

1638  Charles  Cullen. 

1676  Noah  Webb. 
1668  Henry  Bolton. 

1677  United  to  Skryne, 


298 


APPENDIX 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  SKRYNE. 

UNION  OF  SKRYNE. 

Consists   of   Skryne,  Dowdstown,  Kilcarn,  Lismullen, 
Monktown,  Templekieran,  and  Tara. 

The  Union  of  Skryne  was  formed  in  1677.  The 
Parish  of  Rathfeigh,  which  formerly  belonged  to  it, 
was  transferred  by  the  Synod,  first  to  Kilmoon,  and 
afterwards  to  Kentstown.  The  church  in  use  was  that 
of  the  Parish  of  Templekieran,  but  this  has  lately  been 
dismantled,  and  a  new  church  built  in  the  Parish  of 
Lismullen,  by  the  exertions  and  liberality  of  Sir  John 
Dillon,  Bart.  It  was  consecrated  under  the  name  of 
St.  Columba's  Church  in  1904.  The  Parish  of  Tara 
was  joined  to  the  Union  at  disestablishment.  Tara 
Church  (St.  Patrick)  was  built  in  1823. 


SKRYNE. 

1283  James  of  Spain. 

—  Nicholas  Wafre  (1402). 
1450  Walter  Prendergast. 
1534  Peter  Wallis. 

Thomas  White,  1598. 
1598  William  Whitereede. 
1606  Thomas  Robinson. 
1619  Morgan  Jones. 
1623  Robert  Nicholl. 
1662  Thomas  Hill. 
1692  Joceline  Barnes. 

1719  Charles  Cobb. 

1720  Samuel  Holt. 
1763  Charles  Agur. 
1765  Samuel  Pulleine. 

1784  Verney  Lovett. 

1785  Richard  Swanne. 
1794  Richard  Wynne. 
1796  Stephen  Radcliff. 
1829  Richard  Radcliff. 
1871  Oliver  Brighton. 
1896  Leslie  A.  Handy. 

Curate. 

—  John  Sayler  (1615). 


DOWDSTOWN. 

1616  John  Sealer. 

—  Morgan  Jones  (1619). 
1623  Robert  Nicholl. 
1662  Thomas  Hill. 

1684  Joceline  Barnes. 
1677  United  to  Skryne. 

KILCARN. 

—  Morgan  Jones  (1622). 
1674  Henry  Moneypeney. 
1677  United  to  Skryne. 

LISMULLEN. 
1677  United  to  Skryne. 

MONKTOWN. 
Samuel  Holt  (1733)- 
TEMPLEKEIRAN. 

1621  Morgan  Jones. 
1677  United  to  Skryne. 

TARA. 

Audoen  Brod-1  (1422). 

—  Edmund  Oronnow,  1599. 
1599  John  Moineghan. 


APPENDIX  299 

1620  TCadwalader  Edmonds  or  1751  Anthony  Malone. 

Edwards.  1780  George       Maunsell     or 
1624  Richard  Hackett.  Maxwell. 

1627  Launcelot  Lowther.  1781  John  Rogers. 

1633  Edward  Stanhope.  1810  William  Henry  Irvine. 

1634  Thomas  Walmeslie.  1839  Mark  Perrin. 

1671  Christopher  Kerdiffe.  1840  Joseph  Richard  Hamil- 

1675  Marcus  Ussher.  ton. 

1697  Thomas  Conigsby. 

1707  Randulph  Dawson.  Curates. 

1708  John  Wetherby,  D.D. 

1709  Archibald  Ayton.  —    William  Bradish  (1753). 
1721  John  Hamilton.                      —     Sliar  Hamilton. 

1724  John  Madden,  D.D.  1780  Valentine  Duke 

1734  Richard  Stewart.  1781  John  Williamson. 

UNION  OF  KILMESSAN. 

Consists    of    Kilmessan,    Assey,    Balsoon,    Dunsany, 
Killeen,  Kiltale,  and  Trubly. 

The  Parishes  of  Assy  and  Balsoon  were  made  into 
a  separate  Union  in  1826,  but  in  neither  Parish  was 
there  church  or  glebe  house  ;  they  were,  therefore, 
subsequently  joined  to  Kilmessan.  Dunsany  and 
Killeen  became  in  1680  part  of  the  Union  of  Tara. 
Kiltale  was  united  to  Knockmark  in  1811.  Trubly 
formed  part  of  the  Union  of  Trim.  The  present  re- 
arrangement was  made  after  disestablishment.  Mace- 
town,  which  was  formerly  joined  to  Kilmessan,  is  now 
in  the  Union  of  Ratoath.  The  Church  of  Kilmessan 
(St.  Mary)  was  built  in  1731,  and  has  recently  been 
restored. 

KILMESSAN.  1788  John  Barrett. 

1793  David  Charles  Ingham. 
—     John  Mey,  1444.  ^26  Charles  Moore. 

James  Daley  (1622).  1828  St.    George    Caulfield 

1628  Joseph  Singe.  Irvine. 

1641  Peter  Harrison.  _    James  W.  Rynd,  1849. 

1671  George  Booker.  ^49  Francis  Briscoe. 

1693  John  C.  Brown.  ^85  William    F.    Falkiner. 

1700  James  Cooper.  ^92  Anthony  Drought. 

1712  Moor  Booker.  I9o5  George  H.  Patton. 
1729  Henry  Nix. 

1732  William  Doyle.  AssY  OR  ATHSEY. 

1763  Samuel  Preston.  1615  James  Young. 
1774  John  Evans  Franklin.          1621  Morgan  Jones. 


300 


APPENDIX 


Patrick    Griffith  (1633). 
1684  Thomas  Benson. 
1716  Andrew  M'Evoy. 
1721  William  Snowden. 
1761  David  Cope. 
1768  William  Evelyn. 
1781  Blount  Medlicot. 
1795  David  Charles  Ingham. 
1798  Mark  Wainright. 
1821  David  Charles  Ingham. 

—  St.    George    C.     Irvine 

(1826). 
1826  Spencer  William  Walsh, 

D.D. 
1861  Francis  Briscoe. 

BALSOON  OR  RIPPERSTOWN. 
1616  John  Gregge. 

—  Edward  ffennor  (1622). 
1626  Alexander  Sharpe. 
1632  Thomas  Bateson. 
1675  William  Smith. 

1684  Thomas  Benson. 
1715  Andrew  M'Evoy. 
1721  William  Snowden. 

DUNSANY. 

1611  Richard  Pollard. 
1680  United  to  Tara. 

KILLEEN. 

—  William    Bermingham 

(1402). 


William  Silk,  1434. 
1536  Sir  Henry  Plunkett. 
Arthur  Book  (1604). 

—  Edward  Doyle  (1622). 
1642  Christopher  Kerdiffe. 
1675  Marcus  Ussher. 

1680  United  to  Tara. 

KlLTALE. 

—  James  Daley  (1622). 
William  Meoles  (1633). 

1670  Christopher  Kerdiffe. 
1675  Alexander  Abercrombie. 
1708  Thomas  Grantham. 

1810  William  Liddiard. 

1811  United  to  Knockmark. 

TRUBLY. 

—  Henry     de     Rathfayl, 

(1359)- 

1359  Thomas  Malacken. 

1558  Richard  Scallon. 

1619  Price  Griffin. 

1620  Patrick  Griffith. 
1677  William  Smith. 
1688  Thomas  Benson. 

John  C.  Brown  (1693). 
1715  Anthony  Raymond. 
1726  Hugh  Dawson. 
1726  Caleb  De  Butts. 
1731  United  to  Trim. 


UNION  OF  MOYGLARE. 

Consists    of    Moyglare,    Balfeighan,    Kilclone,    and 

Raddanstown. 

Moyglare  was  an  independent  parish  until  dis- 
establishment. Raddanstown  Union  was  formed  in 
1682,  and  included  the  Parishes  of  Balfeighan,  Kilcloon, 
Gallow,  and  Drumlargan.  The  last  two  have  now  been 
joined  to  Agher.  The  churches  are  ancient. 


MOYGLARE. 

1611  William  Fitz  Symmonds. 
i  41  John  Fitzsymons. 
i  88  Thomas  Mallory. 


1692  Patrick  Lindsay. 
1709  John  Wilson. 
1719  James  Garstin. 

Jonathan  Dillon,  1729. 
1765  Gaspar  Caillard. 


APPENDIX 


301 


1768  Arthur  Grueber. 

1802  Thomas  Jones. 

1814  Arthur  Ardagh. 

1846  Richard  Dixie  Maunsell. 

1867  Robert  Hamilton. 

1877  John  Charles  Creed. 

Curates. 

Francis  Davidson  (1818). 
1883  John  Newman  Lombard. 

BALFEIGHAN. 

Robert  Cooke  (1622). 
1674  Henry  Monypenny. 
1682  United  to  Raddanstown. 

KILCLONE. 

—  William  Fitz  Symmonds 

(1622). 

1674  Henry  Monypenny. 
1682  United  to  Raddanstown 

RADDANSTOWN  OR 
BALRODDAN. 

—  William  Fitz  Symmonds 

(1622). 


1674  Henry  Monypenny. 
1700  Daniel  Sewell. 
1712  Thomas  Newton. 
1730  Martin  Dean. 

William  Davyes   (1733). 
1741  Gustavus  Hamilton. 
1755  John  Bomford. 
1776  Henry  Blacker. 
—    James  Blacker,  1793. 
1793  Power  Le  Poer  Trench. 
1803  Ponsonby  Gouldsbury. 
1830  Joseph  Turner,  D.D. 
1836  George  Vaughan  Samp- 
son. 

1838  William  Tyrrell. 
1840  William  Handcock. 

Samuel  Abraham  Walker, 

1849. 

1849  Robert  Lauder. 
1852  Francis    Ralph    Sadlier, 
D.D. 

Curates. 

1857  Henry  Burrows. 
1859  J.  Staunton. 


UNION  OF  AGHER. 
Consists  of  Agher,  Dramlargan,  and  Gallow. 

This  Union  was  formed  at  disestablishment.  The 
church  was  built  in  1840,  and  has  recently  been  rebuilt 
by  Mr.  J.  S.  Winter. 


AGHER  OR  AGHERPALLIS. 

1593  Thomas  Tedder. 

Eugene  M'Cartie,  1594. 

1613  Nicholas  Proud. 

1614  Robert  Booning. 
1664  Nicholas  Proud,  D.D. 
1669  Richard  Tennison,  D.D. 
1682  George  or  Edward  Synge. 
1686  Richard  Mallory. 

1692  John  Bolton,  D.D. 
1699  Jonathan  Swift,  D.D.  • 
1745  Peter  or  John  Hamon. 


1765  Blount  Medlicott. 
1782  Dudley  Ryves. 
1784  John  Ravel  Walsh. 
1802  John  Ravell  Walsh.1 
1808  John  Kellett. 
1849  Robert  Lauder,  LL.D. 
1870  George  Henry  Martin. 
1884  Robert  Seymour,  D.D. 
1892  Joseph  Leigh  Stuart. 


Curate. 
—    William  Major  (1693). 


1  Probably  the  same  as  the  preceding, 
said  Walsh  having  resigned." 


In  the  Institution  it  says  "  the 


302  APPENDIX 

I 

DRUMLARGAN.  GALLOW. 

—    Robert  Cooke  (1622).          1617  Robert  Cooke. 
1674  Henry  Monypenny.  1674  Henry  Monypenny. 

1682  United  to  Raddonstown.     1682  United  to  Raddonstown. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  RATOATH. 

UNION  OF  RATOATH. 

Consists  of  Ratoath,  Donaghmore,  Killegland,  Criks- 
town,  Cookstown,  Greenogue,  Kilbrew,  Kilmoon, 
Macetown,  Cushinstown,  and  Piercetown  Landy. 

The  Union  of  Ratoath,  Crikstown,  Cookstown, 
Killegland,  Donaghmore,  and  Greenogue  was  formed 
in  1682.  The  Church  (Holy  Trinity)  was  consecrated 
in  1821.  Kilbrew  and  Tryvett  were  united  in  1678, 
but  at  disestablishment  the  latter  was  transferred  to 
Dunshaughlin.  The  Church  was  built  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  is  now  disused.  Kilmoon  and  Piercetown 
Landy  were  united  in  1826.  The  Church  (St.  Munna) 
was  built  in  1816.  The  present  Union  was  formed  in 
1885. 

RATOATH.  1887  John  Howlin  Montserrat. 

T  ,     n/r    j  IQ03  William  F.  Legere. 

1405  John  Mordoun. 

William  Taillour  (1422).  Curates. 
—     Patrick  Fyne,  1559. 

1559  John  Hele.  —    Edward     J.     Lewis 

15—-  John  Fleming.  (1826). 

1603  Nicholas    Smyth,    alias  William  Tighe  (1842). 

Agone. 

Henry  Bolton.  (1633).  DONAGHMORE. 

1675  Noah  Webb. 

1676  Charles  Newburgh.  —    Nicholas  Smyth    (1622). 

1677  John  Bolton,  D.D.  —    Henry  Bolton  (1633). 
1693  John  Bolton.  1678  John  Bolton,  D.D. 
1720  Richard  Bolton.  1682  United  to  Ratoath. 
1761  Thomas  Lee  Norman. 

1794  Launcelot    King    Cun-  KILLEGLAND. 

ningham. 

1820  Robert  Norman.  —    Nicholas  Smyth  (1604). 

1844  Henry  Johnston.  1678  John  Bolton,  D.D. 

1885  John  Healy,  LL.D.  1682  United  to  Ratoath. 


APPENDIX 


303 


CRIKSTOWN. 

—  Nicholas  Smyth  (1604). 
1682  United  to  Ratoath. 

COOKSTOWN, 

—  Nicholas  Smyth  (1604). 
1682  United  to  Ratoath. 

GREENOGUE. 

—  Nicholas  Smyth  (1604). 
1678  John  Bolton,  D.D. 
1682  United  to  Ratoath. 

KILBREW. 

—  Mr.  Hubertstie  (1604). 
1619  Leonard  Beckwith, 
1667  Henry  Bolton. 

1675  Noah  Webb. » 

1688  Joshua  Barnes. 

1696  Jerome  Ryves. 

1699  Frank  Fulk. 

1712  George  Blake. 

1763  Bigoe  Henzell. 

1788  Lionel,  Viscount  Strang- 
ford. 

1 80 1  John    Molesworth 
Staples. 

1807  Bigoe  Henzell. 

1819  John  Uniacke  Swayne. 

1836  Thomas    Houston    Bar- 
ton. 

1862  Thomas  Marshall. 

1863  William  Hammerton. 

KILMOON. 

1261  John  de  Colchester. 
15 —  Laurence  Devins. 
1552  Roger  Skiddy. 
1619  Roger  Danby. 
1623  Roger  Puttock. 
1642  John  Fitz  Simons. 
1663  James  Bishop. 
1670  Edmund  Greene. 
1673  Thomas  Mallory. 
1693  Andrew  Brereton. 
I7I7  Jonn  Smith. 

John  Madden,  1744. 


1744  Hill  Benson. 
1775  Charles  Roberts. 
1803  Shuckburgh    R.    W. 

Upton. 
1807  Thomas      or      William 

Fairtlough. 
1826  William  Coddington. 

—  William         Coddington, 

jun.  (1842). 

—  Stephen    or   Richard 

Radcliff  (1858). 

—  William    John    Irvine 

(1870). 

Curate. 
1870  Dillon  Charles  Campbell. 

;  MACETOWN. 

—  Nicholas  Bocham  (1622). 

—  Patrick  Griffith  (1633). 
1728  William  Jones. 

—  J.  Madden  (1733). 
1744  Hill  Benson. 
1776  John  Jones. 

—  William  Duncan,  1805. 
1805  Charles  Ingham. 

1826  Charles  Moore. 

CUSHINSTOWN. 
No  record. 

PIERCETOWN    LANDY    OR 
LECKNO. 

—  John  Fuyt,  1402. 
1402  John  Magayga. 
1442  John  Loragh. 

—  Gerald  Dalton,  1561. 

—  William  Cocks,  1597. 
1597  John  Moynaghan. 
1620  Cadwallader  Edwards. 
1624  Richard  Hackett. 
1627  Launcelot  Lowther. 

1633  Edward  Stanhope. 

1634  Thomas  Walmeslie. 

1692  John  Fitzgerald. 
1684  Joslin  Barnes. 

1693  Andrew  Brereton. 


304 

1695  John  Madden. 
1744  Hill  Benson. 
1763  Charles  Agur. 
1775  Charles  Roberts. 


APPENDIX 


1803  Whitney       Shuchburgh 

Upton. 

1807  Thomas  Fairtlough. 
1826  United  to  Kilmoon. 


UNION   OF  DUNSHAUGHLIN. 

Consists  of  Dunshaughlin,  Bally maglasson,  Culmullen, 
Knockmark,  Rathbeggan,  Rathregan,  Tryvett, 
and  Kilmore. 

Dunshaughlin  and  Rathregan  were  united  in  1678- 
The  Church  (St.  Seachlan  or  Secundinus)  was  built  in 
1813.  Ballymaglasson  Church  (St.  Keiran)  was  con- 
secrated in  1816.  The  Union  of  Knockmark,  Kiltale 
and  Culmullen  was  formed  in  1810.  The  Church  has 
now  been  dismantled.  Rathbeggan  Church  (St. 
Beccan)  was  built  in  1817.  Kilmore  Church  (St. 
Patrick),  built  in  the  eighteenth  century,  is  preserved, 
though  no  longer  in  use,  except  for  occasional  services. 
The  present  Union  was  formed  in  1882. 


DUNSHAUGHLIN. 

1524  James  Sheffield. 
1560  Anthony  Rush. 
1565  George  Leigh. 
1567  William  Leech. 
1569  Joseph  Darcy. 

1579  James  Chapman. 

1580  Robert  Brazier. 
1588  Anthony  Rush. 

—    John  Allen,  1595. 
1595  Arthur  Cooke. 
1615  Baldwin  Shepheard. 
1630  John  Lennox. 
16—  John  AUbright. 
16 —  John  Kyan. 

John  Crawford  (1641). 
1668  Simon  Digby. 
1672  Noah  Webb. 
1696  Jerome  Ryves. 
1698  John  Jourdain. 
1751  John  Powell. 
1755  Bigoe  Henzell. 
1789  William  Henry  Irwine. 
1818  Gorges  Lowther  Irwine. 
1838  John  Low. 


1855  John  H.  Dunne. 
1864  Thomas  Marshall. 
1882  John  H.  Davidson. 
1905  Hamlet  McClenaghan. 

Curates. 

1775  Doctor  Hum.  ffrench. 
1811  John  Madden. 
1848  Goodwin  Swift. 
1850  Robert  Rowan. 
1853  Nicholas  Magrath. 

BALLYMAGLASSON. 

Baldwin    Shepheard 

(1615). 

—    Robert  Cooke  (1622). 
1673  Thomas  Mallery. 

Patrick  Lindsay  (1693). 

Richard  Moreton,  1708. 
1708  Jonathan  Wilson. 
1718  Thomas  Forbes. 
1727  Jonathan  Rogers. 
1733  Christopher  Donellan. 
1735  Edward  Molloy. 
1737  Hanover  Sterling. 


APPENDIX 


3°5 


1753  Henry  Duncan,  LL.D. 
1760  Samuel  Caldwell. 
1771  William  Dennis. 
1771  Richard  Cave. 
1799  Thomas  Tucker. 
1811  Mervyn  Pratt. 
1814  Hill  Benson. 
1814  Skeffmgton  Preston. 
1820  William  Gorman. 
1824  Lambert   Watson   Hem- 
penstall. 

1843  Robert  Handcock. 

1844  William  Hamerton. 
1863  Brabazon  W.  Brunker. 
1868  William  Hoyte  or  Hoyle. 
1870  William  Hamerton. 
1872  John  H.  Davidson. 

Curates. 

1820  William  Harding. 

1821  Fortescue  Gorman. 

1824  Thomas  Smith. 

1825  Thomas  Pearson. 
1827  Erasmus  Burrowes. 
1832  Richard  Carter. 
1832  William  Simpson. 

CULMULLEN. 

1617  Robert  Cooke. 

1638  Thomas  Carter. 

1639  Alexander  Bailie. 
1642  Christopher   Kerdiffe. 
1675  Marcus  Ussher. 
1697  Wilfred  Lawson. 
1717  John  Hamilton. 
1721  Anthony  Lowrey. 
1742  David  Cope. 

1763  William  Donellan. 
1789  Hon.  Thomas  St. 

Laurence. 

1794  T.  Vesey  Dawson. 
1807  William  Liddiard. 
1811  United  to  Knockmark. 

KNOCKMARK. 

Thomas  Robinson,  1619. 
1620  Cadwalader  Edwards. 
1624  Richard  Hackett. 
1627  Launcelot  Lother. 

VOL.    II. 


1633  Edward  Stanhope. 

1634  Thomas  Walmeslie. 
1640  John  Swayne. 

1671  Christopher  Kerdiffe. 
1675  Alexander  Abercrombie. 
1708  Thomas  Grantham.  j 
1721  John  Shad  well. 
1724  Jonathan  Smedley. 
1729  Richard  Stewart. 
1746  Henry      David      Petit- 

pierre. 

1762  John  Rogers. 
—    Oliver  Carter,  1765. 
1808  William  Henry  Irvine. 

1810  William  Liddiard. 

1831  Henry  Liddiard. 
1853  Edmond  Jonas  Lewis. 

Thomas  Marshall,  1881 

Curates. 

James  Wills  (1826). 
1853  Lorenzo  Torpey. 

RATHBEGGAN. 

1594  John  Callan. 

One  Kevan.  (1604). 

James  Kean  (1622). 
1639  Adam  Kyan. 
1668  Francis  Ussher. 
1671  James  Mandesley. 
1678  John  Bolton,  D.D. 
1699  Jonathan  Swift. 

Isaac  Graham  (1774). 
1774  Henry  Blacker. 
1776  Meade  Swift. 
1782  Thomas  Brownrigg. 
1792  Joshua  Clibborn. 
1794  Ponsonby  Gouldsbury. 
1799  James  Elrington. 
1805  Rowland  Betty. 

1811  Henry  Moore. 
1813  Henry  Ormsby. 

1817  Henry  Crosby. 

1818  James  Matthews. 

1832  John  James. 
William  Hoyte,  1863. 

1864  Brabazon  Brunker. 

Curate. 
1860  Thomas  Phibbs. 


306 


APPENDIX 


RATH  REG  AN. 

Edward  Doyle  (1622). 
1626  John  Wilson. 
1668  Simon  Digby. 
1676  Noah  Webb. 
1678  United  to  Dunshaughlin. 

TRYVETT. 

1411  Gregory  Neel. 

—  Richard  Mortimer,  1545. 
1546  Peter  Row. 

1558  Edward  Rome. 
1581  John  Brennan. 
1614  Baldwin  Shepheard. 
1630  Thomas  Fairfax. 
1632  John  Lennox. 
1668  Simon  Digby. 
1670  Noah  Webb. 
1696  Jerome  Ryves. 
1699  Frank  Foulk. 
1712  George  Blake. 
1763  Bigoe  Clerk  Henzell. 
1788  Lord    Viscount    Strang- 
ford. 

—  Shany  Ford  (1799). 
1801  John    Molesworth 

Staples. 

1805  Bigoe  Henzell. 
1819  John  Uniacke  Swayne. 
1836  Thomas  Houston  Barton 

1862  Thomas  Marshall. 

1863  J.  William  Hamerton. 


CuraU. 

1869  W.  Hoyte. 

KlLMORE. 

1593  Thomas   Tedder. 

1604  Loftus. 

1614  Robert  Booning. 

1668  Hugh  Sterling. 

1670  Christopher  Kerdiffe. 

1675  Adam  Ussher. 

1680  James  Kyan  or  Ryan. 

1682  George  Finglasse. 

1686  James  Duncan. 

£ —    Thomas  Mallory,  1688. 

1688  John  Chetwood. 

1717  John  Smyth. 

1740  Hugh  Tisdall. 

1763  Gerald  Macklin. 

1784  Hon.  William  Knox. 

1786  John  Travers  Radcliff. 

1814  William  Gorman. 

1824  Thomas  Smith. 

1831  Edward  Tighe  Gregory, 

LL.D. 

1859  Robert  Posnett. 
1862  William    Augustus 

Kempston. 

Curates. 

1789  Thomas  Radcliff. 
J.  Corrigan  (1842). 

1870  D.  C.  Campbell. 


UNION  OF  DUNBOYNE. 
Consists  of  Dunboyne  and  Kilbride. 

Dunboyne  had  Kilbride  as  a  Chapel  of  Ease  in  1622, 
and  as  far  back  as  can  be  traced  the  two  Parishes  were 
united.  The  Church  (SS.  Peter  and  Paul)  is  modern. 


—  William  Pyrron  (1385). 

—  John  de  Burgo  (1401). 

—  William    Lullyngton 

(1408). 

1576  George  Darmot. 
1579  Marmadukc  Middleton. 


1615 

1633 
1669 


ohn  Kyan. 
ames  Kean  (1622). 
Edward  Stanhope, 
ohn  Price. 


1683  Edward  Hollis. 

1684  Thomas  Hawley. 


APPENDIX  307 

1709  Thomas  Forbes.  1884  James  Hamilton. 

1727  Edward  Sampson.  1888  J.  P.  Tegart. 

1728  John  Jephson.  1895  Annesley  T.  Somers. 
1730  Thomas  Sheridan,  D.D.  1908  J.  Forde  Leathley. 
1734  John  Knowles. 

1767  Robert  Gorges.  r       . 

1767  Edward  Henry  Duncan, 

L.L.D.  —  Patrick  Lindsay  (1693). 

1806  Richard  John  Hamilton.  —  Adam  Caulneld  (1733). 

1823  Richard  Martin.  —  Skeffington    Preston 

*833  John  Aughinleck.  (1842). 

1871  John  Cooke.  1857  Frederick  O'Melia. 

1881  William    John    Kings-  1862  James      Borbridge 
borough.                                          Doyle. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  TRIM. 

UNION  OF  TRIM. 

Consists  of  Trim,  Newtown  Clonbun,  Kilcooiey, 
Scurlogstown,  Tullaghanoge,  and  Moymet. 

The  Union  as  at  present,  excluding  Moymet,  was 
formed  in  1731.  Moymet  continued  as  an  independent 
Parish,  though  without  a  church,  until  the  middle  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  when,  on  the  death  of  John 
Hussey  Burgh,  it  was  suspended.  The  Church  of  Trim 
(St.  Patrick)  is  ancient,  but  has  been  often  restored. 
In  1612  the  Parish  was  united  to  the  See  of  Meath, 
since  which  time  the  bishops  have  been  Rectors,  and 
the  officiating  clergyman  was  styled  "  Vicar." 

TRIM.  1454  Philip  Norreys,  D.D. 

Rectors  X483  Richard  Walsh-6 

1483  Edward  Wellisle.6 

1283  Nicholas  de  Geneville.  1501  Thomas |D'Arcy. 

—    William    de    Clebury  15 —  John  Rycardes. 

(1324).  —    James  Sheffelde  (1527). 

1381  Walter  de  Brugge.  1541  Francis  Agard. 

1403  Richard  Petyr.  1542  William  Copeland. 

1412  John  Prene.  1546  William  Nugent. 
1432  Patrick  Prene.  —     John  Petit. 

1435  Robert  Dyke.  —    Henry  Fitzsimon. 

8  Contested  appointment. 


3o8 


APPENDIX 


1581  John  Draper. 
1601  Robert  Draper. 
1612  United  to  Bishopric. 

Vicars. 

1612  John  Tanner. 

John  Gregg  (1622). 

1628  Robert  Ivey. 

1629  William    Griffith    or 

Griffin. 
Jeremy  Benton,  preacher 

(1658). 

1660  James  Carey,  preacher. 
1666  John  Cruikshank,  D.D. 

1670  John  Harper. 

1671  Robert  Erwin. 
1680  George  Proud. 
1682  John  Padmore. 
1698  John  Sterne. 

1702  Anthony  Raymond. 
1726  Hugh  Dawson. 
1726  Caleb  De  Butts. 
1732  Adam  Lyndon. 
1753  Guy  Atkinson. 
1767  William  Evelyn. 
1776  William  Foster. 
1780  William  Elliott. 

1818  Richard  Butler,  D.D. 

1819  Richard  Butler,  A.B. 

1862  Charles     James     Bayly. 
1869  Edward        Fleet  wood 

Berry. 
1875  Charles  Parsons  Reichel, 

D.D. 

1885  Francis  Hopkins. 
1892  Garrett  Nugent. 
1898  Edward  Goff. 

Curates. 

1842  James  Hamilton. 
1859  Thomas  Wetherall. 

1863  C.  Ormsby  Wiley. 
1865  Benjamin  Irwin. 


1868  Alfred  T.  Harvey. 
1872  John  G.  Manghan. 
1875  F.  Samuels. 
1878  Samuel  Sandys. 
1 88 1  Anthony  Drought. 
1884  Edward  Martyn  Venn. 
1892  Joseph  John  Nesbitt, 

NEWTOWN  CLONBUN. 

—     Robert  Booning  (1622) 
1666  John  Crookshank,  D.D. 
1732  United  to  Trim. 

SCURLOGSTOWN. 

Alexander  Sharpe  (1622). 
1666  John  Crookshank,  D.D. 
1670  John  Harper. 
1732  United    to    Trim,    but 
1753  Gerald  Macklin. 

TULLAGHANOGE. 

1622  "  Noe  curate." 

1666  John  Crookshank,  D.D. 

1670  John  Harper. 
1732  United  to  Trim. 

MOYMET. 

1622  "  Noe  curate." 

William  Meoles  (1633). 

1671  Robert  Erwing. 
1682  George  Proud. 

John  Stearne,  1713. 
1713  Anthony  Raymond,  D.D. 
1726  George  Allcock. 
1748  Daniel  Beaufort. 
1758  Washington       Cotes, 

LL.D. 

1762  John  Auchmuty. 
1793  Thomas  Vesey  Dawson. 
1793  George  Alley. 
1807  John  Hussey  Burgh. 


PARISH  OF  RATHCORE. 

This  Parish  was  generally  held  as  a  Chapel  of  Ease 
to  Trim,  and  when  the  Bishop  became  Rector  of  Trim 


APPENDIX  309 

in  1612,  he  succeeded  also  to  Rathcore.     The  Church 
(St.  Ultan)  is  ancient. 

—  John  Gregg  (1622).  1802  John  Roberts. 
1664  Nicholas  Proud.  1826  Richard  Ryan. 
1669  Richard  Jones.  1837  James  Alexander. 
1680  John  Congreve.  1838  James  Matthews. 

Anthony    Raymond,  1863  Robert  Irwin. 

D.D.,  1726.  1876  Gregory    St.    Laurence 

1726  Hugh  Dawson.  Cuffe. 

1726  Caleb  De  Butts.  1881  James  Edward  Harnett 

1732  Adam  Lyndon.  Murphy. 
*753  Guy  Atkinson. 

1767  William  Evelyn.  Curates. 

1776  William    or    Thomas  1727  David  Carleton. 

Foster.  Edward  J.  Lewis  (1826). 

1781  Christopher  M'Allister.  1855  Samuel  Parsons. 

John  Kellett  (1799).  1863  Thomas  Wetherell. 

—  Chaworth  Brown,  1802. 


PARISH  OF  BECTIVE. 

Ussher  reports  in  1622  :  "  This  Church  belongeth 
to  the  Abbey  of  Bective,  in  the  possession  of  the  said 
Mr.  Dillon  (impropriator),  who  pretendeth  to  have  an 
exemption  from  the  Lord  Bishop's  jurisdiction,  and 
doth  prove  wills  and  grant  administr aeons."  At  that 
time  the  Church  and  Chancel  were  in  repair.  When  the 
Abbey  was  allowed  to  go  to  ruin,  no  other  church  was 
built  for  this  Parish  until  the  erection  of  the  present 
building  about  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century 
(St.  Mary).  The  records  of  this  Parish  are  very  im- 
perfect. 

1622  "  Noe  curate."  1902  Richard  Frederick  Martin 

Patrick  Griffith  (1633).  Clifford. 

1726  John  Grace.  1903  Robert  B.  Birmingham. 
—    Charles  Burton  (1902;. 


UNION  OF  LARACOR. 

Consists  of  Laracor,  Galtrim,  and  Derrypatrick. 
This    Union  was    formed     after    disestablishment. 


APPENDIX 


The  Church  of  Laracor  (St.  Peter)  is  modern  ;  that  of 
Galtrim  (St.  Mary)  was  erected  in  1800. 


LARACOR. 

1551  Andrew  Barn  wall. 
—    William    Chamberlain, 

1564. 

I5^>4  John  Allen. 
1613  Edward  Sotherne. 
1618  Robert       Booning       or 

Bonynge. 

1664  Nicholas  Proud. 
1669  Richard  Tennison. 
1682  Edward  Singe. 
1686  Richard  Mallory. 
1692  John  Bolton,  D.D. 
1699  Jonathan  Swift,  D.D. 
1745  Peter  or  John  Hamon. 
1798  Henry  Thomas  Preston. 
1801  Charles  Massey. 
1804  Charles  Warburton. 
1806  Joseph  Sandys. 

1808  John  Brinkley,  D.D. 

1809  Charles    Henry    Crook- 

shank. 

1812  Blaney  Irwin. 
1850  Quintan  Dick  Hume. 
!854  John  Cotter  MacDonnell. 
1862  Robert  Posnett. 
1866  Charles  Elrington  M'Kay 
1881  Edward  Denny. 
1898  W.  E.  S.  Connolly. 
1903  Hugh  Clement  Beere. 

Curate. 
1722  Stafford  Lightburne. 

GALTRIM. 

—  William    de    la    Corner, 

1289. 
1289  Philip  le  Norman. 

—  William  de  Clera  (1292). 
1357  Thomas  de  Meelton. 

—  Thomas  Enel  (130,9). 

—  Thomas  Bache  or  Bathe, 

1400. 


1403  John  Swayne. 
1425  John  Randolf. 

Nicholas  Daley. (1604). 

—  James  Daley  (1622). 
1630  John  Williams. 
1636  Hugh  Morrison. 
1666  John  Crookshank. 
1670  Christopher  Kerdiffe. 

1674  Henry  Monypenny. 

1675  Marcus  Ussher. 
1699  Joshua  Warren. 
1701  Wilfred  Lawson. 
1717  John  Hamilton. 

1721  Anthony  Lowray,  D.D. 
1737  John  Smith. 
1742  David  Cope. 
1763  William  Donellan. 

Mark  Tisdall  (1789). 
1789  Hon.        Thomas        St. 

Laurence. 
1794  T.  Vesey  Dawson. 

1806  Barry  M  'Gusty. 

1807  William  Liddiard. 
1814  John  Lowe. 

1838  Matthew  Maine  Fox. 
1844  Henry  Siree. 

—  Samuel  Abraham  Walker 

(1849). 

1856  Lorenzo  Torpey. 
Thomas  Foster  (1871). 

Curates. 

—  William  Harvy  (1693). 

1857  Nicholas  Magrath. 


DlRPATRlCK   OR   DERRY- 
PATRICK. 

-    James  Daley  (1622). 
William  Meoles  (1633). 
William  Harvy  (1693). 
Anthony  Lowry  (1733) 


APPENDIX 


UNION  OF  ATHBOY. 

Consists  of  Athboy,  Girley,  Rathmore,  Moyagher,  and 

Kildalkey. 

This  Union  was  formed  in  1678.  About  the  year 
1843  Girley  and  Kildalkey  were  separated,  and  made 
into  perpetual  curacies.  They  have  now  been  again 
united.  The  Church  of  Athboy  (St.  James)  is  ancient. 
Kildalkey  Church  (St.  Mary)  was  built  when  the 
perpetual  curacy  was  established.  The  record  of  the 
building  of  Girley  Church  (St.  Margaret)  is  not  found. 
The  Archbishops  of  Armagh  were  Rectors  of  Athboy. 
The  following  is  the  succession  of  Vicars. 


ATHBOY. 

1558  John  Marriman. 

—  David  Jones  (1604) 
1617  William  Smith. 

—  George  Gemester  (1641). 

—  Samuel  Edwards,   prea- 

cher (1658). 
1670  Edmund  Greene. 
1674  Robert  Parkinson. 
1713  Thomas  Wallis. 
1746  Alexander  Alcock. 
1753  William  Gruebere. 

1781  Blount  Medlicott. 

1782  Thomas  Benson,  D.D. 
1784  Henry  Wynne. 

1797  Samuel  Murphy. 
1805  Hon.  Hamilton  Cuffe. 
1811  Robert  Tronson. 
1831  Robert  Noble. 
1871  Francis  Hopkins. 
1885  Alfred  T.   Harvey. 
1898  Henry  Edward  Whyte. 

Curates. 

—  PatricklLyon  (1733). 

—  J.  A.  W.  Sprule  (1842). 
1861  J.  G.  Hopkins. 

1870  John  Adam  Cross. 

—  Thomas     George    Irwin 

(1871). 

1906  Geoffrey    Wilberforce 
Tibbs. 


GIRLEY. 

—    William  Smith  (1622). 

1674  Robert  Parkinson. 
1857  J.  F.  Bickerdike. 
1869  Henry  Hare. 
1881  Hamilton  Hare. 

RATHMORE. 

1536  William  Cocks. 
1596  Robert  Allbright. 

Willbryan  Fox  (1604). 
1616  Benjamin  Culme. 
1637  William       Hudson       or 
Huetson. 

1675  Robert  Parkinson. 
1678  United  to  Athboy. 

Curate. 
Robert  Shepley  (1622) 

MOYAGHER. 

William  Smyth  (1622) 
1678  United  to  Athboy. 

KILDALKEY. 

Robert  Booning  (1622). 
1678  United  to  Athboy. 

Perpetual  Curates. 
1843  William  Irwin. 
1849  William  Hutchinson. 


312  APPENDIX 

1865  Graham  Graig.  1875  Solomon  K.  F.  Ralph. 

—  Thomas    George    Irwin,     1893  William  F.  Legge. 

1872.  1897  J.  Frazer  Pillor. 

1873  Charles  M.  Brown.  1906  United  to  Athboy. 

PARISH  OF  KILLOCHONNIGAN. 
The  Church  (St.  Kineth)  was  consecrated  in  1823. 

—  Alexander  Sharpe  ( 1622).  1853  Orlando  Thomas  Dobbin, 

—  Philip  Johnston  (1733).  LL.D. 

—  Arthur  Connolly  (1799).  1874  John  Evans  Preston. 
1817  Joseph  Greene.  1884  Anthony  Drought. 
1847  Henry  Purdon  Disney.  1892  Richard  J.  Merrin. 

UNION  OF  NAVAN. 

Consists    of    Navan,    Ardsallagh,    Donaghmore, 
Athlumney,  and  Follistown. 

The  Parishes  of  Donaghmore  and  Ardsallagh  were 
united  to  Navan  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Athlumney  was  a  separate  vicarage,  though  without 
a  church,  until  the  death  of  the  Rev.  R.  P.  D. 
Hamilton  in  1870.  Navan  Church  (St.  Mary)  was 
built  in  1818. 

NAVAN.  1818  Philip  Barry. 

*     T^  c±     i  u  11  1882  Robert  Thompson. 

1460  Doctor  Stackbolle.  g      Ch  rf      james  Lambert. 

William  Phillips  (1615).  Ig^  James  BJennett  Keene. 
1633  Robert  Puttock.  g™  J          Rennison 

—  Richard  Bourk,  preacher 

(1658).  Curates. 

1658  Jonathan    Edwards,  ^  George  BrabMon. 

^     T  ?r€¥    i:«      r    A-ft         —    James  Moreton  (1826). 

*¥?  ^MV     ^Q1   ^    ar  lffe>  WilUamHamerton(i842) 

1671  William  Smith.  wmi       Chartres. 

1682  Thomas  Benson.  £*  ,    Butler 

1715  John  LVOIL  ff  Jjiu  Wilson  White 

1718  Ossory  Medhcott.  75  Ran      ^^ 

1728  John  Grace  ^  H         d   Ver^  White 

1737  George  Buchanan. 

1743  James  Cavendish.  Anns  ALT  A™ 

T-V        •    i     /-•  i*  T->  AKDoALLAOrl. 

1747  Daniel  Cornelius   Beau- 
fort. —     Edward  ffennor  (1622). 

1765  Daniel  Augustus  Beau-  Edmund  Greene  (1674). 

fort  1674  William  Smith. 


APPENDIX 


313 


DONAGHMORE. 

—  Richard  Burel  (1345). 
1560  Patrick  Dongan. 
1614  Thomas  White. 

1623  Roger  Puttock. 
1675  Richard  Tennison. 
1677  William  Smith. 
1682  Thomas  Benson. 

ATHLUMNEY. 

—  Cornelius  Cahan  (1549). 
1620  John  Sayler. 

Patrick  Griffith    (1622). 
1629  Samuel  Clarke. 
1641  John  Bodkin. 
1677  William  Smyth. 
1684  Thomas  Benson. 
1684  Benjamin  Colcot. 
1715  John  Lyan. 
1715  Dive  Downes. 


1719  Ossory^Medlicott. 
1728  John  Grace. 

—  P.  Downes  (1733). 
1737  George  Buchanan. 
1744  James  Cavendish. 
1747  Daniel  Beaufort. 
1781  Richard  Barry.     ^  "• 

1788  George  Charles  Garnett. 
Daniel  Beaufort,  1789. 

1789  Daniel   Augustus   Beau- 

fort. 

1819  Francis   Dansey  Hamil- 
ton. 

1831  Robert  Thompson. 

1832  Robert   Patrick  Dansey 

Hamilton. 
1870  United  to  Navan. 

FOLLISTOWN. 

—  Walter  Mooney  (1622). 


UNION  OF  ARDBRACCAN. 

Consists  of  Ardbraccan,  Liscartan,  Rataine,  Clonmac- 
duff,  Churchtown,  and  Martry. 

This  Union  was  formed  in  1780.     The  Church  (St. 
Ultan)  was  built  in  1777. 


ARDBRACCAN. 

William  de  Clera  (1292). 
1403  Richard  Hill. 
1494  William  Downyll. 

James  Trench  (1615). 

Robert  Nicholls  (1622). 

William  Meoles  (1633). 
1681  Henry  Cottingham. 
1681  John  Chetwood. 

Lewis  Gillardy. 
1703  Rowland  Singleton. 
1741  Lewis  Gaillardy. 
1751  William  Tisdall. 
1770  William  Foster. 
1780  Richard  Moore. 
1818  Hon.  Henry  Pakenham. 


1843  John  Brownlow. 
1882  Duncan  J.  Brownlow. 
1899  Launcelot  Coulter. 

Curates. 

Michael  Egan  (1826). 

1854  Robert  Stoney. 

1857  Samuel  Parsons. 

1859  William    Cotton    Ring- 
wood. 

1878  Harry  de  Vere  Dawson 
White. 

1880  John    Dickson    Eccles 
Newcombe. 

1880  James  Francis  Caithness. 

1868  John  M'Gregor  Ward. 


314 


APPENDIX 


LlSCARTAN. 

1401  John  Taaf. 

—  Martin  White,  1438. 

—  James  Trench  (1622). 
1630  George  Cottingham. 

1632  John  Hoskins. 
1638  Samuel  Boden. 
1670  Henry  Cottingham. 

1681  Michael  Jones. 

1682  John  Chetwood. 
1703  Rowland  Singleton. 
1730  United  to  Ardbraccan. 

RATAINE. 

1622  "  Noe  curate." 

1666  John  Crookshanke,  D.D. 

1670  John  Finglasse. 

1670  John  Harper. 

1 68 1  John  Chetwood. 

1730  United  to  Ardbraccan. 

CLONMACDUFF. 

1622  "  Noe  curate." 

1633  Robert  Puttock. 


1666  John  Crookshank,  D.D. 

1670  John  Harper. 

1671  John  Finglasse. 
1682  George  Proud. 
1692  John  Stearne. 
1703  Anthony  Raymond. 

1725  Aeneas  M' Mullen. 

1726  Robert  Stephenson. 
1738  Philip  Dixon. 

1770  William  Evelyn,  D.D. 
1776  Richard  Moore. 

CHURCHTOWN. 

1622  "  Noe  curate." 

1681  John  Chetwood. 

1730  United  to  Ardbraccan. 

MARTRY. 

John  de  Dubiltum  (1263) 
William  Davyes  (1622). 
1641  William  Meoles. 

1682  John  Chetwood. 
1730  United  to  Ardbraccan. 


PARISH  OF  RATHMOLYON. 
The  Church  (St.  Michael)  was  built  in  1797. 


—    Thomas  Schell,  1546. 
1546  Thomas  Fleaming. 
1616  John  Gregg. 
1629  William  Meoles. 
1664  Nicholas  Proud. 
1670  Richard  Jones. 
1688  Joshua  or  John  Warren. 
1701  William  Tyrrell. 
1734  George    Dobson    or 

Dawson. 
1778  Conway  Benning,  D.D. 


1823  Samuel  Magee. 
1873  Frederick    William 

Wetherell. 
1903  Thomas  Anderson. 

Curates. 

1861  Samuel  A.  Brennan. 
1869  Edmund    Ireland  Arm- 
strong. 

1864  Thomas  Lindsay. 
1868  Thomas  Foster. 


APPENDIX  315 

RURAL    DEANERY    OF    FORE. 

PARISH  OF  OLDCASTLE  OR  CLOTYN. 
The  Church  (St.  Bridget)  was  built  in  1816. 

—    Nicholas    Agone,  alias       1800  Thomas     Frederick 

Smyth  (1622).  Knipe. 

1639  Henry  Purdon.  1834  Henry    H.    J.    Westby, 

1662  Hugh  Hannah.  "D.D. 

1679  John  Lawry.  1840  Thomas  Garde  Durdin.1 

1686  James  Maxwell.  1890  Frederick  J.  Grierson. 
1721  Edward  Thompson. 

1723  Dive  Downes.  Curate. 

1756  Dive  Downes.  —    Nicholas  J.  Halpin(  1826) 

UNION  OF  LOUGHCREW. 

Consists    of    Loughcrew,    Diamor,    Moylough,    and 

Russagh. 

Moylough  and  Diamor  were  united  to  Loughcrew 
in  1682  ;  Clonabreny  or  Russagh  in  1815.  The  Church 
(St.  Keiran)  is  modern,  and  on  a  new  site. 

LOUGHCREW.  1814  Robert  King. 

AI^  nj  *.    TM  «i  J8i5  Richard  B.  Vincent. 

U622^  I834  Thomas  °'Rorke' 

1630  Jocelyn  Ussher.  l854  J*mf  Alexander  Hamil- 

1664  Richard  Dudell.  00,   T  ,   toJJ' 

Richard  Wode  1676.*  l886  John  Q™^ 

1692  Charles  Proby.  Curates. 

1726  John  Willoughby.  Creaeh  Code 

'737  John  Gibbin.  __    gjjg 
1740  Hanover  Sterling. 

1752  Nathaniel  Preston.  MOVTOTIPH 
1784  John  Arthur  Preston. 

1798  Moore  Smith.  —    Robert  Travers  (1622). 

1  A  remarkable  example  of  long  incumbencies.  From  the  appointment 
of  the  elder  Dive  Downes,  in  1723,  to  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Durdin  in  1890, 
there  were  only  five  vicars,  and  this,  notwithstanding  the  short  incumbency 
of  Canon  Westby,  which  only  lasted  six  years. 

1  There  is  a  tombstone  in  the  old  Church  to  the  memory  of  "  Richard 
Wode,  Mount  Wode,  Vicar  of  Loughcrew,  who  died  November,  1676,"  but 
at  that  date  Dudell  is  known  to  have  been  in  possession  of  the  vicarage. 
Possibly  Wode  was  before  Dudell,  and  resigned  the  vicarage  sometime  before 
his  death. 


316 


APPENDIX 


1624  Robert  Ussher. 
1664  Richard  Dudle. 
1682  United  to  Loughcrew. 

DIAMOR. 

James  Areskin  (1622). 
1630  William  Griffin. 
1670  Thomas  Bladen,  D.D. 
1682  United  to  Loughcrew. 


CLONABRANEY   OR   RUSSAGH. 

Oliver  Plunkett  (1622). 

1664  Richard  Dudle. 

1665  Robert  Barthrem.1 
1727  John  Willoughby. 
1737  John  Gibbin. 
1740  Hanover  Sterling. 

1814  Robert  King. 

1815  United  to  Loughcrew. 


UNION   OF   KlLLEAGH. 

Consists  of  Killeagh  and  Kilbride-Castlecor. 

This  Union  was  made  in  1885.  Killeagh  Church 
(St.  Fiach)  was  built  in  1810  ;  Castlecor  Church  (St. 
Brigid)  in  1808. 


KILLEAGH. 

Alexander    Plunkett 
(1622). 

1664  Richard  Dudle. 

1665  Robert  Barthrem. 
1682  United  to  Loughcrew. 
1809  Thomas  O'Rorke. 

1834  Union   with   Loughcrew 

dissolved. 

1834  Robert  Battersby. 
1874  Henry  William  Matthews 
1886  Robert  Butler. 
1906  H.    F.    Hill    de    Vere 
White. 

Curates. 

Joseph  Green  (1810). 
1870  James  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton. 

1882  Sterling    De   Courcy 
Williams. 

KILBRIDE-CASTLECOR. 
—    John  Fitz  Johns  (1615). 


John  Agone  (1622). 
1628  William  Griffin. 
1631  David  Thorn  or  Thomas. 
1639  Hugh  Morrison. 
1662  Hugh  Hannah. 

1679  Joshua  Broomhead. 

1680  John  Lawry. 
1686  James  Maxwell. 
1720  Edward  Thompson. 
1723  Dive  Downes. 
1756  Dive  Downes. 
1800  Thomas    Frederick 

Knipe. 

—  Thomas      O'Rorke 

(1814). 

1834  William  Betty. 
1845  James  Adams. 
1885  United  to  Killeagh. 

Curates. 

—  Thomas     Tomlinson, 

(1842). 
1860  Elliott  A.  Knipe. 


1  According  to  First  Fruits   Returns,  but   Dudell  was  at    this    date    in 
possession  of  the  benefice. 


APPENDIX 


317 


UNION  OF  RATHGRAFFE. 

Consists  of  Rathgraffe,  Fore,  Faghly,  and 
Faughalstown. 

The  original  Union,  formed  in  1676,  consisted  of 
Rathgraffe,  Lickbla,  Faughalstown,  Mayne,  Foyran, 
St.  Mary's  and  St.  Fechin's  of  Fore,  and  Kilpatrick. 
Mayne  and  Foyran  were  then  served  by  perpetual 
curates,  appointed  by  the  Incumbent  of  the  Union. 
In  1905  the  present  union  was  made,  Lickbla  and 
Foyran  being  transferred  to  Mayne.  The  Church  of 
Rathgraffe  or  Castlepollard  (St.  Michael)  was  erected 
in  1821. 


RATHGRAFFE  OR  TALEARD. 

John  Drynan  (1615). 
1621  Thomas  Greaves. 
1665  Thomas  Fitzsimons,  1725 
1725  George  Alcock. 
1730  Robert  Lestrange. 
1747  Stafford  Lightburne. 
1751  Stafford  Lightburne,  jun. 
1760  Patrick  Moore. 
1762  Hon.  George  Maitland. 
1764  George  or  John  Wynne. 
1781  George  Coates. 
1802  Chaworth  Brown. 
1847  William  Eames. 
1869  George  Kirkpatrick. 
1873  Robert  Allen. 
1890  Richard  Smyth. 
1905  Anthony  Drought. 

Curates. 

Michael  Egan  (1818). 
—    Richard  F.  Handy  (1826) 


Adolph  F.  Drought  (1842) 
1864  James  Field. 
1886  William  Henry  Roper. 
1904  Henry  Airay  Watson. 

FORE. 

Patrick  Agone  (1622). 
1665  Thomas  Fitzismons. 
1776  United  to  Rathgraffe. 

FAGHLY. 

1376  Maurice  M'Ynwhar. 

Richard  King,  1407. 
1407  Nicholas  Moynagh. 
15 —  Bernard  O'Daly. 

Thomas  Greaves  (1622). 
1665  Thomas  Fitzsimons. 
1776  United  to  Rathgraffe. 

FAUGHALSTOWN. 
No  record. 


UNION  OF  MAYNE. 
Consists  of  Mayne,  Lickbla,  and  Foyran. 

This  Union  was  formed  in  1805.  The  Church  of 
Mayne  (St.  Nicholas)  was  erected  in  1806.  Foyran 
Church  (St.  Hugh)  was  built  a  short  time  before  dis- 
establishment, and  was  consecrated  in  1875. 


MAYNE. 
1615  Cadwalader  Edwards. 


1621  William  Sibthorpe. 
1624  John  Goldsmith. 


APPENDIX 


1630  Thomas  Dovile. 
1665  Thomas  Fitzsimons. 
1802  Chaworth  Brown. 
1809  Richard  Vavasour. 

—  Bond  Hall  (1810). 

—  Charles  Burton. 
1822  Thomas  Smith. 

—  William  Sturrock,  1832. 
1832  Richard  Fleming  Hardy. 
1860  George  Kirkpatrick. 
1869  C.  C.  Mulloy. 

1894  James  Hamilton. 
1906  Robert  Butler. 

Curates. 

—  John  Agone  (1622). 
1875  Robert  Henry  Durham. 
1878  Edward    Montgomery 

Moore. 
1882  John     M'Arthur     Mac- 

millan,  LL.D. 

1887  William  Henry  Roper. 
1896  Frederick    William 

Knight. 


LlCKBLA. 

1422  Thomas  Rydell 
1541  Richard  Hurford. 
1560  Thaddeus  M'Gilla. 
1608  John  Dry  nan. 
1621  William  Sibthorpe. 
1624  John  Goldsmith. 
1665  Thomas  Fitzsimons. 
1776  United  to  Rathgraffe. 
1905  United  to  Mayne. 

Curate. 
—    John  Agone  (1622). 

FOYRAN  OR  FAVORAN. 

1632  John  Goldsmith. 
1776  United  to  Rathgraffe. 
1905  United  to  Mayne. 

Curates. 

1859  H.  M.  Kilbride. 
1862  Richard  Booth. 
1866  Coote  C.  Molloy. 
1872  John  Reade  West. 


UNION  OF  COLLINSTOWN. 
Consists  of  Collinstown  and  Kilpatrick. 

Collinstown  was  part  of  the  Parish  of  Fore  until 
1843,  when  a  church  was  built  (St.  Feighan)  and  a 
perpetual  curacy  endowed  by  the  late  Mr.  Smyth  of 
Barbavilla. 


COLLINSTOWN. 

1843  Charles  James  Bayly. 
John  E.  Trench,  1851. 
1851  Richard  Dowse. 
1865  Edward  Newland. 

—  Hamilton  Haire,  1872. 

—  Arthur  Newburgh  Haire, 

1874. 

1874  Daniel  James  Hearn. 

1875  E.  Singleton. 


1876  Edward  Goff. 
1886  James  Staunton,  D.D. 
1894  George  H.  Patton. 
1905  G.  R.  L.  Wynne. 

KILPATRICK. 

—    Alexander    Plunkett 

(1622). 

1665  Thomas  Fitzsimons. 
1776  United  to  Rathgraffe. 


APPENDIX 


319 


UNION  OF  DRUMCREE. 
Consists  of  Kilcumney,  Killulagh,  and  Disertale. 

This  Union  was  formed  in  1818.     The  Church  (St. 
John)  was  built  in  1811. 


DRUMCREE  OR  KILCUMNEY. 

—  Alexander    Plunkett 

(1622). 
1665  Robert  Barthrem. 

—  Humphrey  Leigh  (1674). 
1681  William  Lightburne. 
1702  John  Hill. 

1751  Francis  Thompson,  D.D. 
1776  Edward  Reynell. 
1788  Humphrey  French, 

D.D. 

1788  Edward  Story. 
1792  John  M'Causland. 
1808  Michael  De  Courcey,D.D. 
1860  Cecil  Russell. 
1872  Richard  Archdall  Byrn. 
1896  Samuel  H.  Somers. 
1901  Frederick    William 

Knight. 

Curates. 
1863  Robert  Peel  Wadsworth. 


1866  Richard  Booth. 

1870  Arthur  Robinson  Barton 

1891  Robert  Thomas  Byrn. 

KILLULAGH. 

—  Thomas  Chantrell,  1400. 
1400  Nicholas  Rede. 

—  Richard  O'Brayn,  1402. 
1402  Denis  O'Brayn. 

1406  James  Nugent. 
1559  J°hn  Tute. 
1617  Thomas  Greaves. 
1665  Robert  Barthrem. 
1667  William    or    Humphrey 

Leigh. 

1684  Samuel  Hudson. 
1729  Jeremiah  Walsh. 
1818  United  to  Drumcree. 

DISERTALE. 

1667  William    or    Humphrey 
Leigh. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  CLONARD. 

UNION  OF  CLONARD. 
Consists  of  Clonard  and  Killyon. 


This  Union  was  formed  in  1782. 
Finnen)  was  built  in  1821. 


The  Church  (St. 


CLONARD. 

1565  Morianus  O'Carbrie. 
1589  Richard  Steede. 
1615  Thomas  Robinson. 
1619  Alexander  Sharpe. 
1665  Charles  Sharpe. 
1669  Eugene  Reyley. 


1670  Alexander  Norris. 
1722  Caleb  De  Butts. 
1726  Hugh  Dawson. 
1732  George  Blake  or  Black. 

1762  John  Jones. 

1763  Stephen  Bootle. 
1770  St.  George  Aihc. 


320 


APPENDIX 


1799  Hon.    George   Theobald 

Bourke. 
1815  Thomas    or    Francis 

Sutton. 

1818  George  Brabazon. 
1822  Edward  Nixon. 
1836  William  Pratt. 
1844  James  Crawford. 
1861  Spencer  William  Walsh, 

D.D. 
1 88 1  Carter  Alexander  Gaird- 

ner. 


1890  William  Henry  Roper. 

Curates. 

1722  William  Griffith. 
1888  Leigh  Richmond  Hamil- 
ton. 

KILLYON. 

Miles  Pemberton  (1622). 
1771  St.  George  Ashe. 
1782  United  to  Clonard. 


UNION  OF  CASTLE  JORDAN. 
Consists  of  Castle  Jordan  and  Bally  boggan. 

This  union  seems  to  have  been  formed  at  an  early 
date.     The  Church  was  built  in  1826. 


CASTLEJORDAN    OR 
GRENGEDAGH. 

—  John  Ridgwell  (1622). 

—  William  Brereton  (1693). 

—  John  Gibben  (1733). 
1747  William  Ussher. 
1774  Mark  Rainsford. 
1792  John  Digby. 

1840  Thomas  Marshall. 
1862  William  John  Burke. 
1877  Henry  Ashe. 

1885  William  S.  Little. 

1886  Samuel  H.  Lewis. 


1901  Thomas  Anderson. 
1903  Henry  J.  Smith. 

Curates. 

1870  Thomas  Scott. 
1878  Edward  Morgan  Griffin. 
1900  Edmund  Maurice  Gum- 
ley. 

BALLYBOGGAN. 

—  Thomas  Ridgwell  (1622). 
1688  James  Mandesley. 

—  William  Brereton  (1693). 


PARISH  OF  CASTLERICKARD. 

This  Parish  was  for  a  time  united  to  Clonard  (1722). 
The  Church  (St.  Nicholas)  is  old.  Date  of  building  not 
known. 


1389  Thomas   Mareschall. 
1400  Donald  Magluay. 
1564  Christopher  Gaffeney. 
1567  William  Barrel . 
1572  Robert  Draper. 
1581  Joseph  Greenan. 
1606  Myles  Pemberton. 


1665  Charles  Sharp. 
1688  Alexander  Norris. 
1722  Caleb  De  Butts. 
1726  Hugh  Dawson. 
1732  George  Blake,  D.D. 
1762  John  Payne. 
1771  Thomas  Hopkins. 


APPENDIX  321 

1783  Henry  Wynne.  1863  John  Brandon. 

1784  George  Knipe.  1876  Thomas  Heron  Aldwell. 
1797  Sir  Thomas  Meredvth.  1886  Robert  C.  O'Donoghue. 
1800  Arthur  Rolleston.  1907  Oliver  W.  Walsh. 

1800  James  Elrington. 

1805  William  Peacocke.  Curates. 

1816  Francis  Jones. 

1817  Robert  Drought.  1727  David  Carleton. 
Francis  Davidson  (1818).  Richard  Carleton  (1733). 

1819  John  Lawler.  1890  Herbert  James  Spurway. 

1846  Robert  Irwin.  1897  Alexander  Duff  Moore. 

PARISH  OF  KILLUCAN  OR  RATH  WIRE. 

The  Chapel  of  Kinnegad  was  made  a  perpetual 
curacy  in  1791.  It  was  again  united  to  Killucan  after 
disestablishment.  Killucan  Church  (St.  Etchen)  was 
erected  in  1816  ;  Kinnegad  Church  (St.  John  Baptist) 
in  1822. 

KILLUCAN.  Curates. 

•mm-       iir  u  1612  John  Bryan. 

1390  William  Wylde.  _     fa          ^       (  fi     } 

X4°°  Donald  Magluay.  _    ThonL  Bumf  ord  (1826). 

1550  William  Cockes  lg      Frands  Marsh 

—  Henry  Luttrell  (1604). 

—  John       Carter       (1612)  KINNEGAD. 


vr  u  i    '-D  ^-          /  z     \     1756  Arthur  Newcombe. 
Nicholas  Robinson  (1612)       ™     G      ]d  M    Wi 

VIPr)  T 

a  £  TTJ       j  T\      i  1791  Charles  O'Beirne. 

1626  Edward  Donelan.  ^  r>  ^    «.  XT  ui 

TTT.IV  1820  Robert  Noble. 

1042  William  Barry. 

4     Henry  Dodwefl,  preacher 


John  Brand. 

1748  Henry  Wynne.  Thomas  WethereU. 

1828  James  Alexander.  Curates. 

1836  Cecil  Crampton.  Robert  Irwin  (1842). 

1863  William  Lyster.  1888  Purefoy  Poe. 

1892  William  F.  Falkiner.  1891  Richard  J.  Merrin. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  MULLINGAR. 

PARISH  OF  MULLINGAR. 
The  Church  (All  Saints)  was  built  in  1813. 

1385  William  Hammond.  1617  William  Sibthorpe. 

one  Dalton  (1604).  1630  Randolph  Adams. 

VOL.    II.  Y 


322 


APPENDIX 


1675  James  Hierome,  D.D. 
1679  John  Forbes. 
1692  Joshua  Warren. 
1700  Thomas  Dobson. 
1718  Lewis  West. 
1725  Edward  Thompson. 
1746  Arthur  Champagne. 
1800  Henry  Dundas. 

1813  Francis  Lambert. 

1814  Thomas  Robinson. 
1828  Hon.    Henry    Montague 

Brown. 

1851  Thomas  Woodward. 
1856  John  Hopkins. 
1864  Charles  Parsons  Reichel, 

D.D. 

1875  Francis  Swift. 
1892  Robert  Seymour,  D.D. 


Curates. 

William      Sturrock 

(1826). 

1865  John  George  Birch. 
1870  Thomas  Simpson  Jones. 
1872  Frederick       Simeon 

Samuels. 

1876  James  Staunton. 
1882  Augustus    Theodore 

Phibbs. 

1885  John  Hamilton  Bourke. 
1889  James  Henry  Rice. 
1894  Richard  George  Salmon 

King. 

1896  George  Villiers  Jourdan. 
1901  Robert  B.  Birmingham. 
1905  Edward  Jennings. 


UNION   OF   PORTNASHANGAN. 

Consists  of  Portnashangan,  Portloman,  Taughmon,  and 

Tyfarnham. 

The  Union  of  Portnashangan  and  Portloman  was 
made  in  1803.  Taughmon  was  added  after  disestablish- 
ment. Portnashangan  Church  (St.  Mary),  was  erected 
in  1824.  Taughmon  Church  (St.  Munna)  is  a  very  old 
building,  with  a  stone  roof,  and  is  now  only  used 
for  occasional  services. 


PORTNASHANGAN. 

1615  James  Byram. 

1631  David  Thorn. 

1665  Walter  Melvin  or  Melvill. 

1670  Audeon  Reyly. 

1692  John  or  Thomas  Dobson. 

1717  Abel  Marmion. 

1717  William  Jones. 

1718  John  Jones. 
William  Tyrrell,  1734. 

1734  Christopher  Pearson. 
1745  John  Hill. 


1751  Francis  Thompson. 
1776  Samuel  Close. 
1780  Felix  O'Neill.1 
1780  Zachary  Williams.1 
1785  John  Mullock. 
1803  John  Jephson. 
1816  John  Thomas  Burgh. 
1823  John  Thomas  O'Neill. 
1832  Henry  Daniel. 
1836  James  Alexander. 

Noah  S.  Hickey,  1846. 
1846  Charles  J.  BaUy. 
1851  John  Croft  on. 


1  There  is  evidently  a  mistake  here.  Both  clergymen  are  said  in  the 
First  Fruits  Returns  to  have  been  appointed  on  the  same  day.  Williams  is 
mentioned  in  the  Diocesan  Registry,  but  no  mention  is  made  of  O'Neill. 


APPENDIX 


323 


1869  Frederick  Wetherell. 
1872  Colpoys  C.  Baker. 

1881  John  Andrew  Jennings. 

1882  George  Richard  Purdon. 

Curate. 
1826  James  Brabazon. 

PORTLOMAN. 

1615  Thomas  Kirkby. 

—  John  Mountfield  (1622). 

—  Solomon  Morgan  (1641). 
1665  Walter  Melvin. 

1670  Audeon  Reyly. 

1692  Thomas  or  John  Dobson. 

1717  Abel  Marmion. 

1717  William  Jones. 

1718  John  Jones. 

—  William  Tyrrell,  1734. 
1734  Christopher  Pearson. 
1745  John  Hill. 

1751  Francis  Thompson. 
1751  Nicholas  Tubbs. 
1757  Richard  Bunworth. 
1771  John  Jones. 
1776  Samuel  Close. 
1780  Zachary  Williams. 


1780  Daniel  Augustus  Beau- 
fort. 

1789  George  Charles  Garaett. 
1801  John  Jephson. 

1816  Thomas  Burgh. 
18123  United    to    Portna- 
shangan. 

TAUGHMON. 

1435  Patrick  Cruys. 
1615  James  Byrom. 

—  Robert  Shipley  (1622). 
1635  Walter  Mooney. 
1688  Robert  St.  Clare. 
1693  John  Buckhurst. 

—  Christopher  Dixon  (1733) 
1744  John  Parker. 

1750  James  Sheridan. 
1768  James  Montgomery. 

—  Roger  Blackball,  1790. 

1790  Edward  Story. 

—  Charles  Eustace,  1800. 
1800  Albert  Nesbitt. 

1809  Bond  Hall. 
1845  Noah  S.  Hickey. 

TYFARNHAM. 
No  record. 


PARISH  OF  RATHCONNELL  OR  TURIN. 
The  Church  (St.  John  Baptist)  was  built  in  1798. 


1403  James  Symond. 
1612  James  Byram. 
1631  David  Thorn. 
1664  Randolph  Adams. 

1675  James  Hierome,  D.D. 

1676  Henry  Greene. 
1679  John  Forbes. 
1693  Joshua  Warren. 
1701  Thomas  Dobson. 
1718  Daniel  Jackson. 
1728  Oliver  Brady. 
1762  Smyth  Loftus. 
1779  George  Lambart. 
1797  John  Vignoles. 

1800  Francis  Pratt  Winter. 

1819  Henry  Hunt. 

1820  Richard  Ryan. 


1826  Richard  Crone. 

John  W.  Rynd,  1835. 
1836  Henry  Moore. 
1842  Graham  Philip  Crozier. 
1853  Robert  Cage  or  Cadge. 
1855  John  Cowan. 
1861  Henry  Knox  Hutchinson 
1881  James  Staunton,  D.D. 
1886  Sterling      De       Courcy 

Williams. 

1893  Matthew  Lord  Eaton. 
1905  Henry  Fyers  Crampton. 

Curates. 

1727  Edward  Thompson. 
1766  Mr.  Newcombe. 
1860  G.  A.  Samuels. 


3*4 


APPENDIX 


UNION  OF  DELVIN. 
Consists  of  Delvin,  Clonarney,  Killallon,  and  Killua. 

Clonarney  was  united  to  Delvin  in  1821.  Killallon 
and  Killua  were  formed  into  a  Union  in  1782.  They 
were  joined  to  Delvin  in  1898.  Delvin  Church  (St. 
Mary)  is  ancient.  Killallon  Church  (St.  John  the 
Evangelist)  was  built  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 


DELVIN. 

1399  J°hn  Mortagh. 
1406  William  Sylk. 
John  Mey,  1444. 

—  Edward  Hatton  (1615). 
1632  Launcelot  Lowther. 
1665  Robert  Barthrem. 
1667  William  Leigh. 

Humphrey  Leigh  (1674). 
1685  Samuel  Hodson. 
1709  Leonard  Hodson. 

Samuel  Hodson  (1720). 
i729*Moore  Booker. 
1758  George  Erwing. 
1776  Walter  Bagot. 
1797  Thomas  Stephens. 

1812  Henry  Moore. 

1813  Henry  Fitzgerald. 
1854  Andrew  L.  Savage. 
1856  Edward  Batty. 

1879  Nicholas  Gyles  Carew. 
1890  Adrian        Graves 
O'Donoghue. 

Curates. 

Henry  Pourdam  (1674). 

Robert  H.  Dunne  (1843). 
1898  Thomas  Carey. 
1900  Henry  Minchin  Lloyd. 

CLONARNEY. 

—  Edward  Hatton  (1622) 
1681  William  Lightburne. 
1684  John  Read. 

1703  John  Hill. 

Arthur  Reynell,  1784. 
1784  Edward  Reynell. 


1622. 


1788  Peter  Carlton. 

1790  Thomas  Wildridge  Shiel. 

1798  Mark  Wainwright. 

1820  Henry  Fitzgerald. 

1821  United  to  Delvin. 

KILLALLON. 

13 —  Conrad  Western-field. 
John  Okkarwill.1 
John  Asserby.1 
Thomas    de    Everdon 

(I398)-1 

—  Thomas  Plunket  (1550). 
Richard  Lindsor  (1604). 

1617  Thomas  Greeves. 

—  Richard  Purdam, 
1662  Thomas  Bladen,  D.I). 
1703  Ralph  Lambert. 
1709  Richard  Moreton. 

Thomas  Harrison,  1714. 
1714  Robert  Lestrange. 
1730  Hugh  Vaughan. 

Hugh  Allen  (1733). 
1766  Joseph  Pasley. 
1772  Nathaniel  Preston. 
1796  George  Leslie  Greesson. 

1821  Thomas  Westropp. 

1822  Richard       Hercules 

Langrishe. 

1836  Joshua  Darcey. 
1850  Anthony  Blackburne. 
1875  Thomas  Rudd. 
1808  United  to  Delvin. 


Curates. 
F.  R.  Sadleir. 
1846  John  Finnerty. 
1870  Edward  J.  A.  Percy. 


1  Disputed  election  between  these  three. 


APPENDIX 


325 


KlLLUA. 

1617  Thomas  Greaves. 
1665  Robert  Barthrem. 
1667  William    or    Humphrey 
Leigh. 


1684  Samuel  Hudson. 
1693  James  Hudson. 
1709  Leonard  Hudson. 
1729  Jeremiah  Walsh. 
1782  United  to  Killallon. 


UNION  OF  MOYLISCAR. 

Consists  of  Moyliscar,  Lynn,  Carrick,  Kilbride  Veston, 
Kilbride  Pilate,  Enniscoffy,  and  Castlelost. 

Moyliscar,  Lynn,  and  Carrick  were  united  in  the 
seventeenth  century.  Enniscoffy  and  Kilbride  Pilate 
were  united  in  1818.  The  present  Union  was  formed 
in  1880.  Moyliscar  Church  (St.  Nicholas)  was  built 
by  the  late  Mrs.  Tottenham,  and  was  consecrated  in 
1880.  Castlelost  Church  (Christ  Church)  was  built  in 
1815  ;  and  Enniscoffy  Church  in  1818. 


MOYLISCAR. 

John  Mount  field  (1622). 
1637  Robert  Fullerton. 
1666  Edmund  Burke. 
1692  Alexander  Delgarno. 
1716  Philip     Whittingham, 

D.D. 

1743  Edward  Cassady. 
*753  George  Evans. 
1781  Robert  Evans. 
1809  Meade  Dennis. 

1840  William  Benn. 
John  Reed,  1841. 

1841  George  Morley  Dennis. 
1844  Robert  Agnew  Martin. 
1875  John    Howlin    Mon- 

sarratt. 
1887  Albert  Erasmus  Crotty. 

Curates. 

1800  Mr.  Robinson. 
1881  Patrick  Sweeny. 
1883  Robert  C.   O'Donoghue. 

1886  Gerald  Saunders  Atkins. 

1887  Andrew  Cooper. 
1890  John  George  Hodges. 
1893  Henry  Nathaniel  Joly. 
1900  Henry  Fyers  Crampton. 


1905  Bennett  Samuel  Radcliff 
1907  G.  Ridley  Day. 

LYNN. 

Thomas  Carpentere,i400 
John  Mulgan,  1422. 
1562  Edward  Darcy. 

—  John  Mountfield  (1622). 
1637  Alexander  Bayly. 

1639  Thomas  Carter. 
1666  Edmund  Burke. 

CARRICK. 

—  Daniel   Oge    M'Grannell 

(1622). 

1634  Henry  Pemberton. 
1666  Edmund  Burke. 
1692  Alexander  Delgarno. 

KILBRIDE  VESTON. 

Danyell  Oge  M'Grannell 

(1622). 

1692  Alexander  Delgarno. 
1717  Philip  Whittingham. 

—  William  Nesbitt,  1790. 
1790  Hemsworth  Ussher. 
1821  Edward  Dowling. 

—  Edward    James    Geog- 

hegan  (1845). 


326 


APPENDIX 


1867  John  Gumming  Macdona 

KILBRIDE  PILATE. 

John  Acton  (1401). 
1401  Geoffrey  Applepen. 

—  Thomas  Lisley  (1622). 
1630  Adam  Anderson. 
1640  John  Pemberton. 
1679  James  Mill  or  Mylnes. 
1713  William  Percival. 
1764  Joseph  Pasley. 

1766  Theophilus  Roberts. 
1780  Robert  Ross. 
1791  Thomas  Robinson. 
1815  John  Hales. 
1818  United  to  Enniscoffy. 

ENNISCOFFY  OR  CUMSCOFFY. 

—  John  Moimtfield  (1622). 
1717  Philip  Whittingham, 

D.D. 

1780  Robert  Ross. 
1791  Thomas  Robinson. 
1815  John  Hales. 


—  Edward  Batty  (1821). 
1827  Henry  Daniel. 

1832  John  Reed. 

1841  George  Morley  Dennis. 

CASTLELOST. 

—  Daniel   Oge    M'Grannell 

(1622). 

1 6 —  James  Mylner. 
1713  William  Percival. 
1734  Michael  M'Kinlie. 
1764  Launcelot  Low. 
1772  Samuel  Preston. 
1777  Thomas  Stratford. 

—  Robert  M'Asky,  1801. 
1801  Samuel  Lucas. 

—  Thomas  Gore,  1805. 
1805  John  Yeats. 

1850  Gustavus  Warner. 

Curate. 

—  Barry  C.  Brown  (1842). 


UNION  OF  CLONFADFORAN. 
Consists  of  Clonfadforan  and  Vastina. 

This  Union  was  made  in  1887.  Clonfadforan  Church 
(St.  Sinanus)  was  erected  in  1828  ;  Vastina  Church 
(St.  Brigid)  in  1808. 


CLONFADFORAN. 

—    Myles  Pemberton  (1622). 
1679  James  Mill  or  Mylnes. 
1713  William  Percival. 
*734  William  Moneypenny. 
1743  Michael  M'Kinlay. 
1764  Joseph  Pasley. 
1766  Henry  Goldsmith. 
1768  Elias  Handcock. 
1771  Robert  Leavens. 
1783  Hems  worth  Ussher. 
1821  William  Eames. 
1847  Cecil  Russell. 
1860  Robert  Healy. 
1864  Richard  Dowse. 
1900  Nathaniel  S.  Joly. 


Curates. 

1887  Francis    John    Stopford 

Mouritz. 
1889  James  Leonard  Poe. 

1891  Charles  Sinclair. 

1892  James  W.  M'Ginley. 
1901  Alfred    Ernest    Leigh 

Stuart. 

1905  Walter  Henry  Townsend 
Gahan. 


VASTINA. 

1401  John  Acton. 
1401  Geoffrey  Appelpen. 
—    Thomas  Lisley  (1622). 


APPENDIX 


327 


1637  John  Crawford.  1809 

1663  Neptune  Blood.  1828 

1675  Henry  Fitzgerald.  1843 

1680  James  Mylnes.  1844 

1712  John  Shadwell.  1877 

1724  George  Marlay.  1879 

1735  Thomas  White,  D.D.  1883 
1769  Launcelot  Low,  D.D. 
1784  Philip  Homan. 

1802  James  Clewloe.  1874 


Thomas  Robinson. 
Henry  Rochford. 
Richard  B.  Booth. 
John  Francis  Battersby. 
Arthur  Gough  Gubbins. 
Edward  P.  Riddall. 
Henry  Seddall,  LL.D. 

Curate. 
H.  W.  Butler. 


UNION  OF  ARDNURCHER. 
Consists  of  Ardnurcher,  Kilcumreagh,  and  Kilbeggan. 

Ardnurcher  and  Kilcumreagh  were  united  at  an 
early  date,  probably  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Kil- 
beggan was  added  to  the  Union  after  disestablishment. 
Ardnurcher  Church  was  built  in  1822  ;  Kilbeggan  (St. 
Beccan)  in  1764. 

1873  Joseph  Morley  Dennis. 
1876  A.  Beatty. 

1879  Walter  Riddall. 

1880  George  Samuel  Greer. 
1886  Thomas  Heron  Aldwell. 
1888  James  Hamilton. 

1894  Francis  J.  S.  Mouritz. 

Curates. 


ARDNURCHER. 

—    William    de     Geinville 

(1260). 
1400  Malachy  Maccochlan. 

William  Nugent,  1547. 
1547  Dermod  O'Mollan. 
1556  Patrick  O'Molane. 
1571  John  Mulrony. 
1589  Robert  Draper. 
1607  Thomas  Pillen. 
1607  John  Darling. 
1615  Thomas  Pillen. 
1625  Richard  Prise. 
1660  Neptune  Blood. 
1662  William  Smith. 
1682  William  Morgan. 

1692  Nicholas  Knight. 

1693  John  King. 

1730  Benjamin  Hawkshaw. 
1740  Michael  M'Kinlie. 
1765  William  Walsh. 
1771  Philip  Homan. 
1802  Hemsworth  Ussher. 
1821  George  Leslie  Gresson. 
1843  John  Lever. 
1862  Garrett  Nugent. 


1857  Jonathan  Harding. 
1860  Peter  Marsh. 

KILBEGGAN. 
1400  Patrick  Magayga. 

—  John  Stearne  (1622). 

—  Thomas  Fleetwood(  164 1) 
1691  -      -  Griffith.1 

—  William  Harvie.1 
Robert  Pakenham,  1745. 

1745  Herbert  Bowen. 
1764  James  or  John  Elrington. 
1801  William  Marshall. 
1831  Edward  Wilson. 
Curates. 

—  Mr.  Walsh  (1822). 
1870  J.  B.  Smith. 


1  Disputed  election. 


328 


APPENDIX 


UNION  OF  NEWTOWN  FERTULLAGH. 
Consists  of  Newtown  Fertullagh  and  Rahugh. 


The  Church  was  erected  hi  1834. 
separate  records  of  Rahugh. 


There  are  no 


1608  Thomas  Pilne  or  Pillen. 

1625  George  Southwick. 

1626  William  Moorehead. 

—  James    Carey,   preacher 

(1658). 
1688  James  Mylne. 

1713  William  Percival. 

1714  Thomas  Monck. 

—  John  Shadwell,  1724. 
1724  George  Marlay. 
1736  Thomas  White. 
1769  Herbert  Bowen. 
1781  Thomas  Gore. 

1805  John  Yeats. 


1811  Henry  Rochford. 
1811  Charles  Vignoles,  D.D 
1843  Samuel  Despard. 
1847  William  Drought. 
1854  Joseph  Morgan  Daly. 

1864  Robert  Healy. 

1865  William  Izod  O'Connor. 
1889  Oliver  W.  Walsh. 

1899  J.  W.  M'Ginley. 

Curates. 

1727  Andrew  Jameson. 

1862  Samuel  A.  Brennan. 

1863  Edward  S.  Radcliff. 


UNION  OF  CLARA. 
Consists  of  Clara  and  Lemanaghan. 

Clara  was  formerly  a  Chapel  of  Ease  to  Ardmircher. 
It  was  formed  into  a  perpetual  curacy  in  1808,  at  which 
time  Lemanaghan  was  united  to  it.  The  Church  (St. 
Brigid)  was  built  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 


CLARA  OR   KILBRIDETANGAN. 

1809  Francis  Jones. 

1810  Skelton  Gresson. 
1853  William  Peter  Turpin. 

—    Hugh  J.  Flynn,  1872. 
1872  Frederick    W.    Mac- 

namara. 
1906  James  Hamilton. 

Curates. 

1851  John  Maurice  Gillington. 
1870  Robert  Healy. 


1899  Hugh  Clements  Beere. 

1904  Lewis  H.  Macnamara. 

1905  Patrick    Percival 

O'Sullivan. 


LEMANAGHAN. 

1634  Thomas  Astbrooke. 
1662  Robert  Sandes. 
1670  George  Lauder. 
1732  John  Antrobus. 


PARISH  OF  BALLYBOY. 

This  was  a  Chapel  of  Ease  to  Fercall.     The  Church 
(St.  Cormac)  was  built  in  1815. 

1617  Neale  Molloy.  Thomas  Coffy,  preacher 

1641  John  Stenne.  (1658). 


APPENDIX 


329 


1757  Richard  Bunworth. 
John  Burton  (1818). 

—  Charles  Burton  (1842). 

—  W.    George   Harman 

(1842). 

1848  Henry  Carleton. 
1857  Amand  du  Bourdieu. 

Thomas  B.Harpur,  1875. 
1875  Arthur  Gough  Gubbins. 
1877  James  Cullen. 


1879  James  Bennett  Keene. 
1879  John  Healy,  LL.D. 
1886  James  Todd,  LL.D. 
1888  John  Alfred  Forde. 
1890  J.  Wybrants  Johnston. 
1904  A.  E.  L.  Stuart. 

Curate. 
1892  James  Clarke. 


PARISH  OF  KILLOUGHEY. 

This  Parish  represents  the  old  Parish  of  Fercall, 
which  included  Killoughey,  Rahan,  Lynally,  Ballyboy, 
Eglish,  and  Drumcullen.  The  Church  (St.  Eoughy) 
was  built  in  1818. 


1615  Charles  Dun. 

1617  Neale  or  Nolan  Mulloy. 

1641  Richard  Washington. 

1665  Thomas  Coffy. 

1692  Thomas  Hamilton. 

—  Joseph  Placett  (1694). 

—  Richard  Taylor,  1728. 
1728  Daniel  Jackson. 
1773  Charles  Coote. 

1796  Thomas  Kemmis. 

1827  Ralph  Coote. 

1868  Maxwell  Henry  Coote. 


1905  Lewis  H.  Macnamara. 

Curates. 

1810  Peter  Roe. 

—  John  Kinahan  (1818). 

—  John  Dunne  (1824). 
Charles  Burton  (1842). 

—  W.George  Harman (1842) 
1881  F.  W.  Knox. 

1896  George  A.  Earle. 
1898  Alexander  Duff  Moore. 
1904  Arthur  Reginald  Burns. 


UNION  OF  EGLISH. 
Consists  of  Eglish  and  Drumcullen. 

Eglish  Church  (St.  James)  is  old,  date  unknown. 


EGLISH. 

—    Joseph    or    Thomas 

Barnes  (1818). 
Robert  Healy  (1842). 
i86q  Augustus   F.  G.    Bluett 

1896  Hamlet  McClenaghan. 

1897  Philip  Graydon  Tibbs. 


1902  William  Thomas  Stewart. 
1906  Robert  Francis  Shirley. 

DRUMCULLEN. 

1548  Rory  O'Conebagh. 
1550  Rory  O'Lonem. 
—    Charles  Burton  (1824). 


33O  APPENDIX 

UNION   OF   KlLNEGARENAGH. 

Consists  of  Kilnegarenagh  and  Rahan. 

This  Union  was  made  after  disestablishment.  Kil- 
negarenagh Church  was  built  in  1830.  Rahan,  formerly 
one  of  the  Chapels  of  Fercall,  was  made  a  perpetual 
curacy  in  1810.  The  Church  is  a  very  ancient  and 
interesting  structure,  part  with  stone  roof,  probably 
dating  from  before  the  Anglo-Norman  Invasion.  There 
are  also  the  well  preserved  ruins  of  a  twelfth  century 
church,  with  handsome  doorway. 

KILNEGARENAGH.  1864  Edward  Newland. 

—  Thomas  Astbrooke(  1639)  RAUAN 
1732  John  Antrobus. 

1736  John  Owens,  D.D.  I550  Rory  O'Brien. 

1744  Sir  Philip  Hoby,  Bart.  X6i6  Charles  Dun. 

1748  Henry  Coghlan.  ^24  Richard  Prise. 

1797  Henry  Maxwell.  l8l2  Francis  Evans. 

1802  Henry  Mahon.  l823  Charles  Bury  Turpin. 

1838  Michael  Egan.  _    j      Vignoles     Brabazon 

1864  Robert  H.  Dunne.  (1883). 

1883  J.  Vignoles  Brabazon.  l883  United  to  Kilnegarenagh 

1890  George  Alexander  Nicolls 

Curates. 

Curates-  r856  Maxwell  Henry  Coote. 

—  James    Dom.    Burton        1857  Tobias  De  Rome  Bolton. 

(1818).  1860  Thomas  Mason. 

—  James  P.  Holmes  (1824).     1861  Andrew  T.  Labatt. 


PARISH  OF  DURROW. 

The  Church  (St.  Columba)  is  old,  and  was  partially 
rebuilt  in  1802. 

—  Robert  Shepley  (1622).        1823  John  Lever. 

1754  Thomas  Bambrick.  1830  Peter  Toler. 

1755  George  Jackson.  1847  Joseph  Chapman. 

—  Thomas  Falknor  (1799).  1876  Richard  Smyth. 

—  Edward  Pepper,  1815.  1885  Oliver  Joseph  Tibeaudo. 

1815  Arthur  Champagne.  1893  Stirling   De   Courcey 

1816  Cuthbert  Fetherstone.  Williams. 


APPENDIX 


331 


UNION  OF  TULLAMORE. 
Consists  of  Kilbride  and  Lynally. 

Tullamore  was  formerly  a  Chapel  of  Ease  to  Durrow, 
but  at  an  early  period  was  formed  into  a  separate 
Parish.  It  became  a  Rectory  by  the  purchase  of  the 
tithes  by  a  grant  from  the  Evans  Fund.  The  Church 
(St.  Catherine)  was  built  in  1818.  After  disestablish- 
ment, the  parish  of  Lynally  was  joined  to  Tullamore, 
and  a  beautiful  new  Church  (St.  Bartholomew)  was 
built  there  in  1887  by  the  bequest  of  Captain  Howard 
Bury  and  the  gift  of  Lady  Emily  Bury. 


KILBRIDE  TULLAMORE. 

Philip  Dickson  (1748). 
1755  George  Jackson. 

Francis  Grant,  1758. 
1770  William  Stoney. 
1779  James  Maxwell. 
1799  Ponsonby   Gouldsbury. 
1830  John  Lever. 
1843  Edward    Fleetwood 
Berry. 

1861  John  Swift  Joly. 
1869  Graham  Craig. 

1902  Robert  Stewart  Craig. 

Curates. 

—  William  Eames  (1818). 

—  Joseph  Meredyth  (1826). 
1856  A.  T.  Macnamara. 

1859  Henry  Burrows. 

1860  Walter  T.  Turpin. 

1862  William    Johnstone 

Sargent. 

1865  Usher  B.  Mills. 
1872  John  C.  Low. 


1869  John  Rennison. 

1874  Peter  Wilson. 

1876  William  Wilson. 

1878  Henry  James  Ringwood. 

1882  Stephen  Thomas  Penny. 

1883  William  Warnock  Smith. 

1884  Stewart    Emerson 

Cooney. 

1902  Herbert  Newcome  Craig. 

1905  Horace  Sterling  Towns- 
end  Gahan. 

1907  Cecil  Thomas  Rennison. 

LYNALLY. 


1536 


O'Molloy. 


1550  Dermicus  O'Dongin. 
1617  Neale  Molloy. 
1641  Richard  Washington. 
1665  Thomas  Coffy. 
—    Neal  Carolan  (1693). 
1769  Quintan  Finlay. 

Curates. 

1859  Walter  T.  Turpin. 
1861  Henry  Walter  Butler. 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  LOUGHSUEDY. 

UNION  OF  LOUGHSUEDY. 
Consists  of  Ballymore,  Killare,  and  Drumraney. 

Ballymore  and  Killare  were  united  at  an  early  date. 
The  Church  (St.  Owen)  was  built  in  1826.      After 


332 


APPENDIX 


disestablishment  the  Parish  of  Dnimraney  was  divided 
between  this  Parish,  Ballyloughloe,  and  Kilkenny 
West.  The  Church  was  built  in  1811,  but  is  now 
disused. 


BALLYMORE. 

—  Nicholas  de  Clcra  (1289). 
1401  Donald  Magluay. 

—  Maurice      O'Kennedy 

(1406) 
1425  Andrew  O'Casey. 

—  John  Coffey,  "1546. 
1546  Richard  Bermingham. 

—  Richard  Walsh,  1549. 

—  Robert  Fullerton,  prea- 

cher (1658). 

—  William  Piers  (1723). 

—  Thomas  Lennox  (1733). 

—  Stephen  Booth  (1746). 

—  Alexander    Mackilwain, 

1764. 

1773  Charles  Kelly. 
1782  Edward  Donovan. 
1827  John  Falloon. 
1865  James  A.  Bell. 

1873  Edward  P.  Riddall. 

1874  O.  J.  Tibeaudo. 
1890  Andrew  Cooper. 


Curates. 

1857  William  Henderson. 
1862  Lewis  R.  Hearn. 

DRUMRANEY. 

1560  Bryan  O'Connoyle. 

—  John  Ankers  (1622). 

1628  Mark  Linche. 

1629  Richard  Price. 
1664  John  Stevens. 
1682  Henry  Greene. 
1731  John  Travers. 

—  William  Maxwell,  1800. 
1811  James  Alexander. 

— Benson,  1821. 

1821  William  Battersby. 
John  F.  Battersby. 

1822  Creagh  Code. 
Donelan        Bolingbroke 

Seymour  (1845). 
Richard    Butler    Bryan, 

1847- 
1847  James  Alexander  Crozier. 


UNION  OF  FORGNEY. 
Consists  of  Forgney  and  Noughaval. 

Both  these  Parishes  were  formerly  Chapels  of  Ease 
to  Ballymore.  They  were  held  with  Ballymore  by  the 
Bishop  of  Meath,  but  were  disappropriated  from  the 
See  in  1844.  Forgney  Church  (St.  Munis)  was  built 
in  1810. 


—    Donald  Magluay,  1401. 
1401  Thomas  Magluay. 
1800  James  Moffatt. 
1840  Hill  Wilson. 
1872  Henry  Seddall,  LL.D. 
1883  Edward      Morgan 

Griffin. 
1894  James  H.  Rice. 


1898  O.  W.  Walsh. 

1907  Francis  J.  A.  Beere. 

Curates. 

1851  Stephen  Radcliff. 
1857  Lorenzo  Torpey. 
NOUGHAVAL. 
No  record. 


APPENDIX 


333 


UNION  OF  KILKENNY  WEST. 
Consists  of  Kilkenny  West  and  Bunowen. 

These  Parishes  were  united  after  disestablishment. 
Kilkenny  West  Church  is  dedicated  to  St.  Canice. 
Bunowen  Church  was  built  in  1818. 


KILKENNY  WEST. 

1608  John  Ankers. 

—  Charles     Goldsmith, 

1747. 

1747  John  Wynne. 
1782  William  Bryan. 

—  Philip  Bertles,  1785. 
1790  James  Saurin. 
1809  William  Bryan. 

1815  Richard  Butler  Bryan. 
1822  Richard  George. 
1848  James    A.    Crozier. 
1860  Newport    Benjamin 

White. 

1870  John  Rennison. 
1876  George  F.  Courtenay. 


1876  Richard  Smyth. 

1890  Edward  Martyn  Venn. 

Curates. 

1800  Samuel  Robinson. 

1806  Samuel  Pool. 

1870  William  Shaw  Darley. 

BUNOWEN. 

1823  John  Gordon  Caulfield. 

1826  Thomas    Gordon    Caul- 
field. 
John  Francis  Battersby. 

1844  Donelan    Bolingbroke 
Seymour. 

1852  David  Robert  Bleakley. 


UNION  OF  ALMORITIA. 

Consists    of    Almoritia,    Piercetown,    Templepatrick, 
Rathconrath,  Churchtown,  and  Conry. 

Almoritia  and  Piercetown  were  united  in  1840. 
Rathconrath  was  a  separate  Parish  until  disestablish- 
ment, and  Churchtown  until  1875.  The  only  Church 
now  in  use  is  Almoritia  (St.  Nicholas),  which  was  built 


1730  Benjamin  Hawkshaw. 
1738  Currell  Smyth. 
1770  Charles  Woodward. 
1772  Richard  Norris,  D.D. 
1784  Bartholomew      Lutley 

Sclator. 

—    James  Irwine,  1811. 
1811  Samuel  Williams. 
1813  James  Hamilton. 
1841  James  Brabazon. 
1885  H.  Vere  White. 


ALMORITIA  OR   BALLYMORAN. 

Charles   Dun,   LL.D. 

(1615). 

1617  William  Moorehead. 
1630  Randolph  Adams. 

Thomas  Fleet  wood  (1641  ) 
1665  Randolph  Adams. 
1675  ./William  Jones. 
1675  'Alexander  Norris. 
1722  Robert  Meares. 


334 


APPENDIX 


1888  Francis  Thomas  Caldwell 
1898  Charles   Edward  Hardy 
1902  Hamlet  McClenaghan. 
1905  James  Frazer  PiUor. 

Curates. 

—  John  Macefield  (1615). 

—  John  Falloon  (1824). 

PIERCETOWN. 

—  James  Areskin  (1622). 
1630  Randolph  Adams. 
1-675  James  Hierome,  D.D. 
1683  John  Twells. 

1730  Benjamin  Harshaw. 

1738  Currel  Smith. 

1813  United  to  Almoritia. 

TEMPLEPATRICK  OR  MOYVORE. 

William    Moorehead 
(1622). 

RATHCONRATH. 
-  Dalton. 


1574  - 
—    James  Areskin  (1615). 
1630  Randolph  Adams. 
1688  Miles  Sweny. 
1692  John  Twelves. 
1696  Nicholas  Knight. 
1730  Benjamin  Hawkshaw. 
1738  Currell  Smith. 
1748  Michael  M'Kinley. 


1765  William  Quid  or  Field, 

D.D. 
1811  George  Frederick  Potter. 

1837  Brabazon  Joseph  Grant. 

Curate. 
1727  Thomas  Lemon. 

CHURCHTOWN. 

—    Thomas  Lisley  (1622). 
1630  Randolph  Adams. 
1637  John  Crawford. 
J675  James  Hierome,  D.D. 
1683  John  Twells. 
1722  Robert  Mears. 
1733  Stafford  Lightburne. 
1747  James  Ross. 
1762  Arthur  Reynell. 
1784  Roger  Forde. 
1831  James  Matthews. 

1838  John  Low. 

1839  Robert  H.  Dunne. 
1864  Joseph  Morgan  Daly. 
1872  Robert  Henry  Durham. 
1875  T.  Basil  Anderson. 

Curate. 
William  Drought  (1842). 

CONRY. 
No  record. 


UNION  OF  LENEY. 

Consists   of   Leney,    Lacken,   Templeoran,    Stonehall, 
Multifarnham,  and  Dysart. 

The  Union  of  Leney  consisted  of  Leney,  Tyfernan, 
Templeoran,  and  Kilmacnevin.  The  last  is  now  united 
to  Kilbixy.  Stonehall,  Multifarnham,  and  Dysart  were 
added  after  disestablishment.  Dysart  was  formerly 
united  to  Churchtown.  The  date  of  Leney  Church  is 
not  known ;  Stonehall  Church  (St.  John  Baptist) 
dates  from  1809. 


—    Henry  Parr  (1622). 
Robert  Lorky,  preacher 
(1658). 


—    Francis     Gouldsbury, 

1759- 
1760  Thomas  Mears. 


APPENDIX 


335 


William  Gorman  (1799). 
Ponsonby    Gouldsbury 

(1799)- 
1808  Daniel  Ward. 

1849  Thomas  Hanley  Ball. 

Thomas  M'Mahon,  1856. 
1856  Alexander  Braddell. 
1878  Richard    Stuart    Dobbs 

Campbell. 

1888  John  Rennison. 
1897  Francis     Thomas    Cald- 

well. 

Curate. 
1860  John  Carroll. 

LACKEN. 
No  record. 

TEMPLEORAN. 
No  record. 

STONEHALL. 

Gilbert  Purdon  (1615). 

John  Mountneld  (1622). 

Christopher  Dixon  (1733) 

Abel  Marmion,  1734. 
1734  Oliver  Brady. 
1764  James  Sheridan. 
1771  William  Nixon. 
1813  Robert  Lockwood. 
1820  John  Young. 
1830  Bond  Hall. 

Jackson  Wray,  1855. 
1855  John  Dopping. 

1862  John  Carroll. 

1863  Francis  Marsh. 

Curate. 
Thomas  Kishby  (1615). 


MULTIFARNHAM. 

Gilbert  Purdam  (1622). 
1665  Walter  Melvin  or  Melvill. 
1670  Eugene  Reilly. 
1688  Audeon  Reyly. 
1692  Thomas  or  John  Dobson. 
1717  William  Jones. 

Abel  Marmion,  1734. 
1734  Oliver  Brady. 
1762  John  Wynne. 
1779  James  Maxwell. 
1799  Ponsonby  Gouldsbury. 
1809  United  to  Stonehall. 

Curate. 
Thomas   Kishby   (1622). 

DYSART. 

1309  John  de  Fresingfeld. 
Nicholas       Moynagh 

(1407). 

1407  Richard  King. 
1560  John  Duffe. 
1617  Adam  Anderson. 
1630  Randolph  Adams 
1639  Robert  Lackey. 
1660  Thomas  Burton. 
1675  William  Jones. 
1.688  John  Forbes. 
1692  Edward  Wallen. 
1723  William  Jones. 
1725  William  Monypenny. 
1761  Robert  King. 
1783  Christopher  McAllister. 
1783  Henry  Wynne. 
1788  Richard  Wynne. 
1801  Stephen  Radcliff. 
1809  United  to  Churchtown. 


UNION  OF  KILBIXEY. 
Consists  of  Kilbixey  and  Kilmacnevin. 

Kilmacnevin   formerly   belonged   to   the   Union   of 
Leney,    but    was    transferred   to    Kilbixey   after   dis- 


APPENDIX 

establishment.     The  Church  (St.  Bigseach)  was  built 
in  1798. 

KILBIXEY.  1864  William  Izod  O'Connor. 

Henrv  Parr  ^1622^  l865  Francis  Henry  Swift. 

1760  ?ho£as    or'  'charies  ^5  Frederick  John  Badham, 

Meares. 

1815  John  Thomas  De  Burgh.  KILMACNEVIN 

1822  Gerald  Beere. 
1849  William  Irwin.  Henry  Parr  (1622). 


RURAL  DEANERY  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 

PARISH  OF  BALLYLOUGHLOE. 

The  Church  (Holy  Trinity)  was  erected  in  1812. 
A  private  chapel,  which  is  used  by  the  parishioners  in 
the  neighbourhood,  was  built  at  Moydrum  by  Lord 
Castlemaine,  and  was  consecrated  in  1879. 

1542  Onorius  Coffey.  1858  Paulus  Oemelius  Singer. 

1550  John  Dillon.  1859  Thomas    Gordon    Caul- 

1559  John  Dillon.  field. 

1569  John  Kellye.  1875  George     Henry     Moore 

1608  John  Ankers.  Preston. 

1630  John  Stevens.  1886  Jonas  Greene. 

1633  Richard  Lingard.  1903  Richard  Frederick  Martin 

1634  Thomas  Fleetwood.  Clifford. 

1662  Rowse  Clopton.  1907  Beresford   Townsend 

1684  George  Padmore.  Gahan. 

1685  Robert  Smyth. 

1685  Robert  Sintclare.  Curates. 

John  Smyth  (1689).  —     Robert  Roberts  (1699). 

1706  William  Jackson.  John  Huleatt,  1733. 

1725  John  Travers.  1733  James  Marshall. 
1774  William  Maxwell.  Thomas  Walsh  (1842). 

1800  Thomas  English.  1857  John  Crofton. 

1816  William  Peacocke.  1857  William  C.  Ringwood. 

PARISH  OF  KILCLEAGH. 

Kilcleagh  was  generally  held  with  Ballyloughloe  and 
Athlone  until  1816.  The  Church  (St.  Mary)  was  con- 
secrated in  1788. 


APPENDIX 


337 


John  Ankers  (1622). 
1628  Mark  Linche. 
1639  Robert  Lingate. 
1664  Jonn  Stevens. 
1706  William  Jackson. 

—  Christopher  Kean  ( 1799). 

—  William  Maxwell,  1800. 
1803  Thomas  English 

1816  Arthur  Rolleston. 

D.  W.  Tempe  (1842). 
John  Hopkins,  1856. 

1856  Richard  Gibbings,  D.D. 

1857  Charles  J.  Bayly. 


1862  Richard  Carter. 

1864  William  Irwin. 

1865  Robert  Healy. 
J875  John  Rennison. 

1888  Thomas  Heron  Aldwell. 
1904  J.  Wy brants  Johnston. 

Curates. 

—    Spencer  W.  Walsh,  D.D. 

(1842). 

1870  John  Swift  Joly. 
1898  H.  W.  Burgess,  LL.D. 
1901  John  D.  F.  Morrow. 


PARISH  OF  ATHLONE. 

The   Church   (St.   Mary)   was  built  in   1826 ;    the 
tower,  however,  belongs  to  an  older  structure. 


David  Malone  (1604). 
1608  John  Ankers. 
1629  Richard  Price. 
1629  Mark  Linche. 
1633  Richard  Lingard. 

Mr.  Barton  (1644). 

Samuel     Cox,     preacher 
(1658). 

Enoch    Webb,    preacher 

(1660). 

1 66 1  William  Vincent. 
1664  John  Stevens. 
1683  Edward  Wallen. 
1723  William  Jones. 
1747  Arthur  Forbes. 
1747  Arthur  Grueber. 
1755  Richard  Handcock. 
1791  James  William  Sterling. 
1820  James  Robert  Moffatt. 
1861  Edward  Fleetwood  Berry 
1869  John  Swift  Joly. 
1888  Richard    Stuart    Dobbs 
Campbell,  D.D. 

Curates. 
William   Burnett  (1733). 

VOL   II. 


1768  Elias  Handcock. 
1824  Samuel  Hodson. 

1824  Alexander  Campbell. 

1825  Thomas  Walsh. 

1826  Travers  Jones. 

1827  C.  H.  Mangin. 
1827  J.  Kallis. 

1829  C.  H.  Hayden. 

1830  James  Luby. 
1833  Thomas  Lanage. 

John     Hewitt     Wren 

(1842) 

1851  Thomas  Wilson. 
1854  F.  W.  Maunsell. 
1856  Thomas  Wetherell. 

1858  James  Staunton. 

1859  E.  J.  Handcock. 

1860  Edward    Isaac    Had- 

dock. 

1861  E.  A.  Knipe. 

1883  C.  W.  Roberts. 

1884  John  Roche  Ardill. 
1886  Frederick  J.  Grierson. 
1902  William      George 

Smylie. 
1907  Cecil  Ross  Kitching. 


338 


APPENDIX 


UNION  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 
Consists  of  Clonmacnoise  and  Tisaran. 

This  Union  was  made  after  disestablishment.  The 
Church  of  Clonmacnoise  (St.  Keiran)  is  an  ancient 
building.  Tisaran  Church  (St.  Saran)  was  built  in 
1806.  A  new  church  (St.  Keiran)  has  been  erected  at 
Shannon  Bridge.  It  was  consecrated  in  1877. 


CLONMACNOISE. 

1615  John  Ankers. 

William    Maxwell, 
preacher  (1658). 
1743  Philip  Barrett. 

1762  Stephen  Booth. 

1763  Joseph  Pasley. 

1764  William  Donaldson. 
1778  John  Baily. 

1799  J°hn  Gay  Fitzgerald. 
1843  James  Wolfe  Charleton. 
1851  Charles  Vignoles. 
1874  N.  R.  Brunskill. 

1880  James  Edward  Cullen. 

1881  A.  E.  Crotty. 
1887  S.  E.  Cooney. 

1893  John  George  Hodges. 

Curates. 

1727  Robert  Jackson. 

Nicholas  Magrath  (1842). 

TISARAN. 
1559  Patrick  Morgan. 


John  Stearne  (1622). 
1634  Thomas  Ashbrooke. 

1664  Cornelius  O'Donnell. 

1665  Thomas  Coffey. 
1672  George  Lauder. 
1709  Richard  Moreton. 

1731  James  Smyth. 

1732  John  Antrobus. 
J736  John  Owens,  D.D. 
1744  Sir  Philip  Hoby,  Bart. 
1748  Henry  Coghlan. 

1797  Henry  Maxwell. 
1802  Henry  Mahon. 
1838  James  Alexander. 
1857  Charles  J.  Bayly. 
1857  Richard  Gibbings,  D.D. 
1866  Henry  A.  Sadleir. 

Curates. 

—  Mr.  Maxwell  (1799). 

—  Mr.  Hamilton  (1799). 

—  H.  Birmingham  (1824). 

—  Charles  Driscoll  (1826). 
J.  C.  Wolfe  (1842). 

1865  Thomas  Richard  Setford 
Collins. 


UNION  OF  FERBANE. 
Consists  of  Wherry  and  Gallen. 

This  Union  was  formed  after  disestablishment. 
Ferbane  Church  was  built  in  1805,  Dut  the  belfry  was 
not  erected  until  1819.  Gallen  was  formerly  united 
to  Rynagh.  The  Church  (St.  Conocus),  situated  in  the 
village  of  Cloghan,  was  built  in  1813. 


APPENDIX 


339 


WHERRY^OR  FERBANE.  1884  M.  A.  Devine. 


1639  Thomas  Ashbrooke. 
1664  Cornelius  O'Donnell. 
1670  George  Lauder. 

1731  James  Smith. 

1732  John  Antrobus. 
1736  John  Owen. 

1744  Sir  Philip  Hoby,  Bart. 
1748  Henry  Coghlan. 
1797  Henry  Maxwell. 
1802  Henry  Mahon. 
1815  Hugh  Fitzgerald. 

1837  Joseph  Morgan  Daly. 

1838  James  Alexander. 
1851  Richard  Gibbings. 
1857  Charles  James  Bayly. 

James   Forsythe,  1874. 
1874  Donelan    Bolingbroke 
Seymour. 


GALLEN. 

1664  John  Stephens. 
1682  Michael  Cahill. 
1739  James  Price. 
1798  Henry  Maxwell. 

John  Burdett,  1841. 
1841  James  Paul  Holmes. 
1849  Courtney  Turner. 

William  Drought,  1874. 

Curates. 

Henry    B.    MacCartney 

(1826). 

1859  Charles  L.  Thomas. 
1870  James  Forsythe. 


PARISH  OF  RYNAGH. 

Rynagh  was  united  to  Gallen  in  1798,  but  the  Union 
was  dissolved  in  1841.  The  Church  (St.  Mary)  was 
erected  in  1829. 


1639  Thomas  Johnston. 
1671  John  Stevens. 
1682  Michael  Cahill. 

Thomas  Piers,  1739. 
1739  James  Price. 
1754  Richard  Warburton. 
1798  Henry  Maxwell. 
1798  George  Brabazon. 
1798  John  Burdett. 
1841  Robert  Mitchell  Kennedy 

John  Joseph  Fletcher. 


1849  Courtenay  Turner. 
1856  Robert  Staveley. 
1867  Joseph   Samuel   Bell, 

LL.D. 

1872  James  A.  Bell. 
1886  J.  Jackson  Sherrard. 

Curates. 

1863  Frederick  W.  Wetherell. 
1870  Arthur  B.  Nicholls. 
1885  William  Winter  Burbury. 


INDEX. 


I  NDEX. 


A. 


Abbey  churches,  i.,  92,  113,  124. 
Adrian,   Pope,  i.,  63,   70. 
Adventurers,  i.,   308. 
Agher,    rectory,    i.,    215   ;      attacked, 

ii.,  107  ;    glebe,  ii.,  153  ;    church,  ii., 

154;    plate,  ii.,  265  ;    clergy,  ii.,  301. 
Agitation,  rise  of,  ii.,   166. 
Aidus,   King,  i.,  45. 
Alcuin,  i.,   27. 
Alexander,  Nathaniel,  Bishop  of  Meath, 

translated     from     Down,     ii.,     164  ; 

death,  ii.,   178  ;    episcopate,  272. 
Alienation  of  church  property,  i.,  182, 

224,  245,  265  ;    ii.,   18,  50. 
Alien  priories,  i.,   105. 
Allen,   Nicholas,   Bishop  of  Meath,   i., 

143  ;    ii.,  270. 
Allen,  John,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  i., 

162,   163. 

Alms  Houses  at  Athboy,  ii.,  147. 
Almoritia,  incumbent,  ii.,  136  ;  church, 

ii.,  154  ;   plate,  ii.,  258,  268  ;    clergy, 

333- 
Andrew,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 

145  ;    ii.,  270. 
Angulo,  Gilbert  de,  i.,  95  ;  Joceline  de, 

i-,  95- 

Ankers,  John,  i.,   238. 

Anne,  Queen,  remits  first  fruits,  ii.,  30  ; 
penal  laws,  ii.,  69,  74. 

Annuitants,  ii.,   211. 

Appropriations,  i.,   72,    118,    123,    169. 

Archdall,  Mervyn,  ii.,   101. 

Archdeacon  of  Meath,  president  of 
synod,  i.,  79  ;  contested  appoint- 
ments, i.,  124,  137  ;  illegitimate, 
125;  excommunicated,  i.,  130; 
deprived,  i.,  191  ;  John  Garvey,  i., 
192;  Owen  Wood,  i.,  214;  Ussher's 
mention,  i.,  257  ;  list  of  arch- 
deacons, ii.,  276. 

Archpresbyters,  i.,   75. 

Ardagh,  church  founded  by  St.  Pat- 
rick, i.,  9;  glebe,  ii.,  153;  church, 
ii.,  154;  clergy,  ii.,  286. 


Ardbraccan,  founded  by  Broccan,  i.,  3 
note  ;  Ultan,  i.,  44  ;  plundered,  i., 
52  ;  purchased  from  the  king,  i.,  55  ; 
granted  to  Gilbert  de  Angulo,  i.,  95  ; 
alienation  of  glebe,  i.,  245  ;  tithes, 
i.,  265  ;  taken  by  rebels,  i.,  273  ; 
bishop  attacked,  i.,  277  ;  charter 
school,  ii.,  94 ;  prosperity  under 
Bishop  Maule,  ii.,  95  ;  plate,  ii.,  265  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  313. 

Armagh,  Book  of,  i.,  2,  4,  14  ;  synod 
at,  i.,  70  ;  visitation  of  province,  i., 
241. 

Armagh,  Archbishop  of,  part  in  epis- 
copal elections,  i.,  80  ;  excommuni- 
cates the  archdeacon  of  Meath,  i., 
130;  excommunicated,  i.,  131; 
deposes  the  clean  of  Clonmacnpise, 
i.,  156;  rector  of  Athboy,  i.,  244. 
Ardmulchan,  i.,  121,  243,  244;  ii., 

289. 

Ardnacranna,  Carmelite  friary,  i.,  107. 
Ardnamullen,  i.,  293. 
Ardnurcher,  rector  of,  i.,  120;  vicarage, 
i.,     217  ;      rural    deanery,    i.,     243  ; 
vicar,   i.,    250 ;     glebe,   i.,     265  ;     ii. 
153  ;      church     attacked,     i.,     325  ; 
Baptist   chapel   at,   ii.,    174;     plate, 
ii.,  268  ;    clergy,  ii.,  327. 
Ardsallagh,    restitution    of    tithes,    i., 
265  ;    castle  of,  i.,  289  ;    clergy,  ii., 
312. 

Art,   King,  i.,  46. 
Art  Oge,  i.,  224. 
Asserby,   John,  i.,   139. 
Assy,  i.,   265  ;  ii.,   299. 
Association    for    Promoting    Christian 

Knowledge,  ii.,   161. 
Athboy,  Carmelite  monastery,  i.,  106  ; 
church,   i.,    169;     garrison,   i.,    212; 
vicarage,  i.,  216  ;    Primate  as  rector 
i.,    244 ;     taken   by  rebels,   i.,    273  ; 
besieged,     i.,     289  ;      Cromwellian 
preacher,   i.,    295  ;     church,   ii.,    37  ; 
curate,  ii.,  44  ;  a  Methodist  assaulted, 
ii.,  90  ;    rebels  at,  ii.,  107,  131  ;  non- 
residence,   ii.,    131,    134;     charities, 


344 


INDEX 


ii.,  146;  glebe,  ii..  153;  Choral 
Festival  at.  ii.,  200  ;  plate,  ii.,  259  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  311. 

Athlone,  Dominican  monastery,  i.; 
in;  income  of  parish,  i.,  120; 
vicarage,  i..  217  ;  church,  i.,  243  , 
ii.,  171  ;  extensive  union,  i.,  248 ; 
restitution  of  tithes,  i.,  264  ;  murder 
of  Mr.  Barton,  i.,  275  ;  attack  on 
church,  i.,  325  ;  services,  ii.,  41,  142  ; 
Holy  Communion,  ii.,  42  ;  schools, 
ii.,  43  ;  Wesley  at,  ii.,  54,  55,  81,  82, 
84 ;  moveable  pulpit,  ii.,  57 ; 
"  bellower,"  ii.,  59 ;  Methodists 
leave  the  church  for  a  time,  i.,  85  ; 
glebe,  ii.,  153;  statistics  of  parish, 
ii.,  171  ;  Methodist  chapels,  ii.,  174  ; 
Baptist  chapel,  ii..  174  ;  plate,  ii., 
256  ;  clergy,  ii.,  337. 

Athlumney,  ii.,  3^3. 

Augustinians,  i.,  93,  259. 

Auxiliary  Fund,  ii.,  250. 


B. 


Baithen,  i.,  46. 

Balfeighan,  i.,  3,  265  ;    ii.,  301. 

Ball,  Miss  Elizabeth,"  ii.,  226,  248. 

Ballybeg,  castle  of,  i.,  289. 

Ballyboggan,  i.,  94 ;  ii.,  320. 

Ballyboy,  Carmelite  monastery,  i., 
no;  glebe,  i.,  265;  church  seized, 
i-.  325  :  precaution  against  beggars, 
ii.,  59;  Wesley  at,  ii.,  81  ;  incum- 
bent, ii.,  136;  church,  ii.,  154; 
endowment,  ii.,  247  ;  clergy,  ii.,  328. 

Ballygarth,  i.,  215,  248;  ii.,  8,  175,   296. 

Ballyloughloe,  income  of  parish,  i.,  120; 
Bishop  Wall  presented  to  benefice, 
i.,  157;  church,  i.,  243;  ii.,  154; 
served  by  the  incumbent  of  Athlone, 
i.,  248  ;  restitution  of  tithes,  i.,  264  ; 
church  seized,  i..  326 ;  united  to 
Kilcleagh,  ii.,  48;  glebe,  ii.,  153, 
plate,  ii.,  262  ;  clergy,  ii.,  336. 

Bally magarvey,  income  of  parish,  i., 
121  ;  restitution  of  tithes,  i.,  265; 
clergy,  ii.,  297. 

Ballymaglasson,  tithes,  i.,  265  ;  glebe, 
ii.,  152,  153.;  church,  ii.,  154;  plate, 
ii.,  263  ;  clergy,  ii.,  304. 

Ballymore,  Benedictine  abbey,  i.,  104  ; 
bishop's  residence  at,  i.,  242  ;  town 
burned,  i.,  289  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153;  plate, 
ii,  265  ;  clergy,  ii.,  331. 

Balrath,  castle  of.  i.,  289. 

Balrathboyne,  i.,  46. 

Balroddan,  see  Raddonstown. 

Balsoon,  i.,  228,  289  ;   ii.,  39,  300. 

Banagher,  church,  i.,  243;  ii.,  154; 
royal  school,  ii.,  43  ;  Methodist 
chapel,  ii.,  174;  Baptist  chapel,  ii., 
174  ;  see  Rynagh. 

Barith,  Danish  leader,  i.,  51. 

Barnwall  family,  i.,   103. 


Barrind  of  DrumcuIIen,  i..  44. 
Barton,  Mr.,  murdered  at  Athlone,  i., 

275- 

Basil,  General  Council  of,  i.,  250. 
Bates,  White,  ii.,  116. 
Bathe,  Thomas,  i.,  124. 
Battersby,  John  F.,  ii.,   183. 
Bayly.  Charles,  ii.,  184.  200. 
Beaubec,  i.,   106,   121. 
Beaufo,  Isabella  de,  i.,   136. 
Beaufort,  Dr.,  ii.,  103. 
Beaumore,  i.,   104. 
Bective,  Cistercian  abbey,  i.,  92,  127: 

no  curate,  i.,  249  ;   castle  of,  i.,  289  ; 

clergy,  ii.,  309. 
Bedell.  William,  Bishop  of  Kilmore,  i., 

229.  305. 

Beggars'  badges,  ii.,   59. 
Bell,  James,  ii.,  245. 
Bell,  Joseph  S.,  ii.,  205,  220,  228,  245. 
Bellower,  ii.,   59. 
Benedictines,  i.,   104. 
Bernard,  John,  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's. 

ii..  240. 

Bernard,  of  Clairvaux,  i.,  58.  70,  92. 
Bevan,   R.  T.,  ii.,  201. 
Bible,  Irish,  i.,  315  ;  ii.,  21.  77. 
Bible    Society,     Hibernian,     ii.,     160 ; 

Diocesan,  ii.,   160,  244. 
Bigseach  of  Kilbixey,  i.,  48. 
Birmingham,   Richard,  i.,   192. 
Bishops,  tribal,  i.,  8,  32,   53. 
Bishops,  diocesan,  appointment  of,  i., 

79,  90  ;   increased   activity,   ii.,    31  ; 

non-jurors,      ii..      70  ;      manifesto 

against  the  National  Board,  ii.,  187  ; 

veto,    ii.,    205  ;     election    after    dis- 
establishment, ii.,  219;    income,  ii., 

224  ;  succession,  ii.,   269. 
Bishops,  Roman  Catholic,  i.,  218  ;    ii., 

76. 

Bishopscourt,  Westmeath,  i.,   242. 
Bishopscourt,  Meath,  see  See  House. 
Black  Death,  i.,   143. 
Blackwater  River,  i.,  7. 
Bligh   family,   bequest   to  Athboy,  ii., 

146. 
Bole,  John.  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  i., 

95- 

Bolton,  Miss,  bequest,  ii.,  230. 
Booker,      Moor,      Vicar     of      Delvin. 

sympathy  with  Methodists,  ii..  86 ; 

letter  to  Bishop  Maule,  ii.  87  ;  to  the 

vicar-general,  ii.,  89. 
Bourk,  Richard,  Cromwcllian  preacher, 

i.,  297.  300. 

Boyd,  G.  A.  Rochfort,  ii..  215.  245. 
Boyle.  Hon.  Robert,  i.,  315  ;  ii..  21. 
Boyne.  river,  i..  2  ;  battle,  i.,  332  ;  ii., 

i. 

Brackley,  Walter  de,  i.,  82,  83. 
Brady,  Hugh,  Bishop  of  Meath,  family, 

i.,  192  ;   character,  i.,  193  ;   letter  to 

Sir  William  Cecil,  i.,  194;   advocates 

establishment  of  a  university,  i.,  194  ; 


INDEX 


345 


letter  on  the  appointment  of  Arch- 
bishop Loftus  as  Dean  of  St. 
Patrick's,  i.,  195  ;  "  State  of  the 
Diocese  of  Meath,"  i.,  197  ;  re-edifies 
Kells  Church,  i.,  201  ;  death,  i.,  202  ; 
alienation  of  church  property,  i.,  160, 
224,  241  ;  episcopate,  ii.,  271. 

Brady,  Dr.  M.,  ii.,   199. 

Brady,   John  Westropp,  ii.,  246. 

Bramhall,  John,  Archbishop  of  Ar- 
magh, i.,  263. 

Brawney,  i.,   57. 

"  Breastplate,"  see  Lorica. 

Brenny  or  Breffni,  i.,   21,   210. 

Brigid  of  Kildare,  i.,  48. 

Broccan  of  Ardbraccan,  i.,   3,  44. 

Brooke,  Dr.,  "  Recollections,"  ii.,  180, 
182,  186. 

Brooke,  Master,  ii.,   208. 

Brougham,   Henry,  ii.,   191. 

Brown,  George,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
quarrel  with  Bishop  Staples,  i.,  175  ; 
work  as  a  reformer,  i.,  180. 

Brown,  Mr.,  incumbent  of  Clonalvey 
ii.,  8. 

Brownlow,  Duncan  J.,  ii.,  246. 

Brownlow,  John,  Dean  of  Clonmac- 
noise,  ii.,  247,  278. 

Brownstown,  i.,  121,  265  ;    ii.,  297. 

Bruce,   Robert,  i.,   131. 

Bunbrusna,  skirmish  at,  ii.,   107. 

Bunowen,  ii.,   154,   333. 

Burgo,   John  de,  i.,   126;    William  de, 

i-,   155- 

Burke,  Edmund,  on  penal  laws,  ii.,  72. 

Burke,  Sir  J.  Bernard,  on  the  pre- 
cedence of  Meath,  ii.,  232. 

Burton,   Robert,  i.,   229. 

Bury,  Captain  Howard  and  Lady 
Emily,  ii.,  248. 

Butcher  Exhibitions  in  T.C.D.,  ii.,  219. 

Butcher,  Samuel,  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii., 
192,  204,  217,  224,  273. 

Butler,  Dean,  i.,    in  ;  ii.,   278. 

Byzantine  influence  on  Irish  art,  i.,  39, 


C. 


Cairnech  of  Dulane,  i.,   12. 

Cairnes,  Thomas  Plunket,  ii.,  215,  236, 

237- 

Capuchins,  i.,  259,  328. 
Carmelites,  i.,  106,  107,  259,  328. 
Carmichael,  Hon.  William,  Bishop  of 

Meath,  ii.,   100,  272. 
Carpet,  ii.,   37,   39. 
Carrick,  i.,    122. 
Carter,   John,  i.,   233. 
Carthage  Mochuda  of  Rahan,  i.,  45. 
Cashel,  interdict  at,  i.,   128. 
Castlecor,  see  Kilbride-Castlecor. 
Castlejordan,    taken    by    Sir    Charles 

Coote,  i.,   293  ;  parish  endowed,  ii., 

245  ;   clergy,  ii.,   320. 


Castlelost,  income  of  parish,  i.,  122; 
endowment,  ii.,  29;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ; 
church,  ii.,  154;  plate,  ii.,  263; 
clergy,  ii.,  326. 

Castlemaine,  Lord,  ii.,   226,  247. 

Castlepollard,  church,  ii.,  154  ;  riot  at, 
ii.,  1 68  ;  see  Rathgraffe. 

Castlereagh,  Lord,  ii.,   125. 

Castlerickard,  rector,  i.,  140;  church, 
ii.,  39  ;  clergy,  ii.,  320. 

Castletown-Kilpatrick,  founded  by  St. 
Patrick,  i.,  9  ;  vicar,  i.,  247  ;  tithes, 
i.,  264  ;  church,  ii.,  i  54  ;  clergy,  ii., 
287. 

Catalogue  of  Irish  saints,  i.,   19. 

Catechizing,  ii.,    145. 

Cathedral,  diocesan,  i.,  99,   104. 

Cathedral,  national,  ii.,  280. 

Catholic  Association,  ii..  165. 

Catholic  Confederation,  i.,  269  ;   ii.,  12. 

Caulneld,  T.  G.,  ii.,   246. 

Cavan,  Earl  of,  ii.,  6,   7. 

Census  (1861),  ii.,    193. 

Cessation  of  arms,  i.,   284. 

Chalice  of  Galtrim,  ii.,  41. 

Chaloner,   Richard,  ii.,   245. 

Charles  I.,  accession  of,  i.,  258  ; 
restores  tithes  to  certain  parishes,  i., 
263  ;  gift  of  glebes,  i.,  265  ;  ii.,  48  ; 
appeal  to  Parliament,  i.,  279; 
negotiations  with  the  rebels,  i.,  285, 
288  ;  founds  Royal  School  at 
Banagher,  ii.,  43. 

Charles  II.,  restoration,  i.,  303  ;  death, 
i-.  317  ',  progress  of  Romanism  under, 
i-,  327- 

Charter  schools,  ii.,   94. 

Choral  Union,  Meath,  ii.,  200  ;  West- 
meath,  ii.,  201. 

Churches,  parish,  large  number  of,  i., 
126  ;  compared  with  abbey  churches, 
i.,  169  ;  condition  in  1622,  i.,  227, 
242  ;  causes  of  ruin,  ii.,  16  ;  re- 
building, ii.,  36  ;  Swift  and  Gold- 
smith's description  of,  ii.,  57  ;  built 
by  Bishop  O'Beirne,  ii.,  139,  150, 
174. 

Church  Papists,  i.,   231. 

Church  Temporalities  Act,  ii.,    174. 

Churchtown  (Meath),  i.,  249  ;  ii.,  314. 

Churchtown  (Westmeath),  ii.,  154,  334. 

Churchwardens,  ii.,   58,  60. 

Cistercians,  i.,   58,  92,    106,   259. 

Clairvaux,  i.,   60. 

Clara,  Wesley  at,  ii.,  56,  81,  82; 
glebe  ii.,  153;  Methodist  and 
Baptist  chapels,  ii.,  174;  clergy, 
ii.,  328. 

Clarendon,   Lord,   i.,    317. 

Clement  VI.,   Pope,  i.,    143. 

Clera,  Nicholas  de,  i.,  124;  William 
de,  i.,  124. 

Clerks,   parish,  ii.,    146. 

Clergy,  character  of,  i.,  135,  168,  199, 
217  ;  Irishmen  excluded,  i.,  174  ; 


346 


INDEX 


incomes,  i..  250.  262;    ii..   15.   173. 

196  ;    list  (1622).  i.,  251  ;  succession. 

ii..  280. 

Clehcal  meetings,  ii.,   162. 
Clewloe.  Mr.,  incumbent  of  Vastina,  ii., 

149- 
Clogher,    Bishop   of,    i..    82  ;     ii..    27 ; 

diocese  of,  i.,  131,  222,  30  . 
Clonard.  foundation  of,  i.,    18  ;    ruins 

at,  i..  22  ;    bishopric  of,  i.,  53,  61  ; 

plundered,     i.,     66 ;       Augustinian 

monastery,  i..  84 ;   nunnery,  i.,  103  ; 

castle,    i.,    136;     rural    deanery,    i., 

243;    vicar,  i.,  250;    church,  ii.,  38, 

154;     skirmish  at,  ii.,    107;    plate, 

ii.,  259  ;  clergy,  ii.,   319. 
Clonabraney,  i.,  250. 
Clonalvey.  i.,  121  ;    ii.,  8,  42.  296. 
Clonarney,  i.,   247,   324. 
Clonarvey,  i.,   122. 
Clonfad,  i.,  30. 
Clonfadforan.  catechizing,  ii.,  145 ;  glebe 

ii..  153;    plate,  ii.,  266;    clergy,  ii. 

326. 

Clonfert,  ii.,  25. 
Clongill,  i.,  216;  ii.,   137,  293. 
Clonguffin,  i.,  48. 

Clonmacduff,  i.,  249,  265  ;  ii.,  314. 
Clonmacnoise,    founding    of,    i.,     23  ; 

tower,  i.,  40 ;    Danes  at,  i.,  50,  52  ; 

burglary  at,  i.,  55  ;    fasting,  i.,  56; 

incomes   of  clergy   (1302),    i.,    119; 

cathedral,  i.,  156  ;  plundered  i.,  156  ; 

rural  deanery,    i.,   243  ;     incumbent. 

i.,  248 ;    tithes,    i.,    264 ;   parish,  ii., 

44  ;   clergy,  ii.,  338. 
Clonmacnoise,   Archdeacon  of,  i.,   120, 

129,  156,  158  ;   ii.,  278. 
Clonmacnoise,  bishopric  of,  i.,  53,  62, 

82,    93,    154;    income    of,    i.,    119; 

illegitimate  bishop,  i.,   125  ;  fighting 

bishop,  i.,  156  ;    last  bishop,  i.,  157  ; 

united     to    Meath,     i.,     157,     193  ; 

revenues,  i.,  158  ;   list  of  bishops,  ii., 

274. 
Clonmacnoise,  canons  of,  i.,  119,  158; 

ii.,  278. 
Clonmacnoise,  deanery  of,  i.,  119,  156, 

158  ;  ii.,   182,   278. 
Cloyne,  Bishop  of,  i.,   135. 
Coarb,  i.,  9. 

Colchas  of  Clonmacnoise,  i.,  27. 
Collinstown,  ii.,  318. 
Colman  of  Clonard,  i.,  21  ;   of  Lynally, 

i-.  45- 
Colpe,    priory   of,   i.,   94 ;     preceptory, 

i.,   104;    income  of  parish,  i.,   121  ; 

glebe,    ii.,    153;     church,    ii.,    154; 

plate,  ii.,  266  ;    clergy,  ii.,  295. 
Columbanus,  i.,  29. 
Columkill,  i.,   29,   33. 
Comin,  Jordon,  i.,  94. 
Communion,  Holy,  ii.,  42,  141,  173. 
Commission,  Royal  (1867),  »•.  '95- 


Commutation,  ii.,  211,  241. 

Compounding,  ii.,  215. 

Conference,  diocesan,  ii.,   199. 

Confirmation,  ii.,   163. 

Conry.  ii.,  334. 

Constantino  of  Rahan,  i.,  45. 

Controversy    with    Roman    Catholics. 

ii.,  190. 

Convention,  General,  ii.,  203. 
Converts,  roll  of,  ii.,  79. 
Convocation,  ii.,  202. 
Cookstown,  ii.,  303. 
Cooper,  Colonel,  ii.,  245. 
Coote,     Sir    Charles,     i.,      282,      289, 

293- 

Coote.  Maxwell  H..  ii.,  246. 
Corkerry,  i.,  296. 
Cormac  of  Durrow,  i.,   33. 
Corner,  Alicia  de  la,  i.,   103  ;  Joceline 

de  la,  i.,  95  ;   William  de  la.  i..  136  ; 

see  Angulo. 
Corner,     Richard    de    la.     Bishop    of 

Meath,  i.,  84,    135  ;  ii.,   269. 
Cory,   Miles,   Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise, 

i.,   155- 

Council,  Diocesan,  ii.,   209. 
Craike,  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Kildare, 

i..   194- 
Craig,  Graham,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise. 

ii.,  207,  246. 

Creekstown,  i.,  265  ;  ii.,  303. 
Crofts,  Sir  James,  i.,   184. 
Crofty.  hill  of.  i.,  282. 
Cromwell,  Oliver,  lands  in  Dublin,  i., 

291  ;    siege    of    Drogheda,    i.,    292  ; 

holds  no  parliament,  i.,  304  ;  changes 

in  Meath,  i.,  308  ;   action  against  the 

church,  ii.,   12. 
Cromwell,  Thomas,  i.,   182. 
Crookshanke,  Dr.  John,  ii.,  29. 
Crossbearers,  i.,  202. 
Crosses,   Irish,  i.,   38. 
Crozier,  of  Kells,  i.,  41  ;  of  Durrow,  i., 

41  ;  of  St.  Patrick,  i.,  56 ;  of  Bishop 

Ellis,  ii.,   36. 

Crucifixion  in  Irish  art.  i.,  39. 
"  Crucifixion,  The,"  poem,  ii.,  116. 
Crucifix,  miraculous,  i.,  94. 
Cruicetown,  ii.,    175,  287. 
Crumpe,    Henry,   i.,   46;    Matthew,   i., 

137- 

Crusades,  i.,   118. 
Crutched  friars,  i.,  104. 
Culmullen,  ii.,   31,   305. 
Cunningham,  James,  ii.,  43. 
Curates,  ii.,   137. 
Curwen,  Hugh,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 

i.,   196. 
Cusack,  Geoffrey  de,  Bishop  of  Meath, 

i.,  84  ;  ii.,  269. 
Cusack.    Mr.,   bequest   to   Athboy,   ii.. 

146. 

Cushinstown,  ii.,  303. 
Cuthbert,  Richard,  i..  94. 


INDEX 


347 


D. 


Dalton,  Major,  ii.,  200,  244. 

Daly,   Joseph,  ii.,    184. 

Danes,  i.,  49. 

Danistown,  ii.,  44,   297. 

Dantsey,  Edward,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 

1 16,    148,    149  ;  ii.,   270. 
Darnley,  Lord,  ii.,   147. 
Daunt,  Achilles,  Dean  of  Cork,  ii.,  220. 
David  of  Menevia,  i.,    18,  94. 
Davies,  Sir  John,  i.,   222. 
Davidson,   J.   H.,  ii.,   246. 
Dease,      Thomas,       Roman      Catholic 

Bishop  of  Meath,   i.,    2^6,   259,   267, 

275,  283. 

De  Flumine  Dei,  i.,  93. 
De  Lacy,  Hugh,  appointed  to  the  Lord- 
ship of  Meath,  i.,  67  ;    his  policy,  i., 

68  ;      personal    appearance,    i.,    68  ; 

contest  with  Tiernan  O'Rorke,  i.,  69  ; 

destroys   Celtic   monasteries,    i.,    72  ; 

dispute    about    his    body,     i.,     93  ; 

founds  Abbeys  of  Kells  and  Durrow, 

i..  96. 

De  Lacy,  Hugh,  the  younger,  i.,  105. 
De  Lacy,  Walter,  i.,  22,  94,    105. 
Delamere  family,  i.,    112. 
Delvin,  parish,  i.,  122  ;    Methodism  at, 

ii.,  87  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ;   plate,  ii.,  264  ; 

clergy,   324. 
Deodatus,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  82  ;    ii., 

269. 

Depositions  (1641),  i.,   270. 
Deprivations,  i.,    188,    190,    191. 
Dermod,  King  of  Leinster,  i.,  64,  65. 
Desmond,  Thomas,  Earl  of,  i.,   150. 
Diamor,  i.,   248  ;  ii.,   316. 
Diarmaid,   King,  i.,   25. 
Dickenson,  Charles,  Bishop  of  Meath, 

family,  ii.,   178  ;    letter  to  his  sister, 

ii.,  179;    appointment  to  Meath    ii., 

179;       obituary     notice,     ii.,      180  ; 

supports    the    National    Board,    ii., 

187  ;    episcopate,  ii.,  272. 
Dickenson,   Hercules  H.,  ii.,   238. 
Dillon,  Sir  Henry,  i.,    in. 
Dillon,   James,  i.,    107. 
Dillon,   Sir  John,  ii.,   248,   268. 
Dillon,  Robert,  Lord  of  Dunsany,  i.,  107. 
Dillon,   Friar  Thomas,  i.,   102. 
Dirpatrick,  ii.,   310. 
Disertaly,  i.,   249,   319. 
Disert  Columkill,  i.,  "154. 
Disert   Keiran,   see   Tristelkeiran. 
Disestablishment,  ii.,  193,  197,  200,  202. 
Disraeli,   Benjamin,  ii.,    197. 
Dixon,   Christopher,  ii.,  47. 
Dod,  Roger,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  221  ; 

ii.,   271. 

Dodwell,   Henry,  ii.,   256. 
Dominicans,  i.,   m,   328. 
Donaghmore  (Navan),  round  tower,  i., 
40;    lands,    i.,    54;    tithes,    i.,    26:; 

clergy,  ii.,   313. 


Donaghmore    (Ratoath),    i.,    265  ;     ii., 

3i,   302. 

Donaghpatrick,  founded  by  St.  Pat- 
rick, i.,  7,  9  ;  plundered,  i.,  52  ; 
church,  i.,  243  ;  ii.,  154;  rector,  ii., 
131;  glebe,  ii.,  152,  153;  new 
church,  ii.,  248  ;  plate,  ii.,  267  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  292. 

Donore,  ii.,   295. 

Dopping,  Anthony,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
translation,  i.,  306  ;  sermons, 
i.,  307  ;  on  loyalty,  i.,  309  ; 
another  sermon  on  the  same  text, 
i.,  311  ;  letter  to  a  dissenting 
minister,  i.,  314  ;  supports  Protestan- 
tism in  Parliament,  i.,  318  ;  im- 
prisons a  schoolmaster,  i.,  319  ; 
administers  the  Diocese  of  Dublin, 
i.,  321  ;  resists  repeal  of  the  Act  of 
Settlement,  i.,  322,  331  ;  obtains 
safeguards  in  searches  for  arms,  i., 
324  ;  protests  against  conduct  of 
General  Rosen,  i.,  324  ;  accused  of 
inconsistency,  i.,  334;  sermon  after 
the  Battle  "of  the  Boyne,  ii.,  i  ; 
reasons  with  Bishop  Otway,  ii.,  2  ; 
Form  of  Prayer  during  the  War,  ii,. 
2  ;  discountenances  reprisals,  ii.,  3  ; 
collection  for  poor  clergy,  ii.,  fj  ; 
letter  from  the  Bishop  of  London,  ii., 
5  ;  from  Lord  Cavan,  ii.,  6,  7  ;  from 
Lord  Drogheda,  ii.,  8  ;  proposed  for 
Archbishopric  of  Dublin,  ii.,  10  ; 
visitation  return,  ii.,  12  ;  helps  in 
publication  of  Irish  Bible,  ii.,  21  ; 
compiles  service  for  receiving  lapsed 
Protestants,  i.,  21  ;  his  later  years, 
ii.,  23  ;  comparison  with  Archbishop 
King,  ii.,  23  :  presentation  from 
his  parishioners,  ii.,  24  ;  presents 
chalice  and  paten  to  Trim,  ii.,  261  ; 
episcopate,  ii.,  272  ;  compiles  list  of 
clergy,  ii.,  280. 

Dopping,  Anthony,  Rector  of  Killucan, 
ii.,  44. 

Dowdall,  George,  Archbishop  of  Ar- 
magh, opposes  the  English  Liturgy, 
i.,  183  ;  discussion  with  Bishop 
Staples,  i.,  185  ;  deprived,  i.,  188  ; 
recalled  by  Queen  Mary,  i.,  188. 

Dowdstown,  ii.,   298. 

Downes,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii., 
33,  34,  66,  272. 

Dowse,  Richard,  Dean  of  Clonmac- 
noise,  ii.,  246. 

Dowth,  i.,  66  ;  ii.,   294. 

Drakestown,  ii.,  267,   287. 

Draper,  Robert,  Bishop  of  Kilmore,  i., 
214,  224. 

Drogheda,  St.  Mary's  Church,  i.,  169, 
237,  244;  ii.,  154;  priories  of  St. 
John  and  St.  James,  i.,  104  ;  Car- 
melite monastery,  i.,  107  ;  income 
of  parish,  i.,  121  ;  synod  held  at,  i., 
135;  Capuchins,  i.,  "259  ;  proclama- 


348 


INDEX 


tion  at,  i.,  261  ;  besieged  by  the 
rebels,  i.,  282  ;  by  Cromwell,  i.,  292, 
305  ;  church  services,  ii.,  42  ;  glebe, 
ii.,  153;  plate,  ii.,  266;  clergy,  ii., 

294- 
Drogheda.    Lord,    letters    to    Bishop 

Dopping,  ii.,  8,  9. 
Dromore,  diocese  of.  i.,   135. 
Drumconrath,  i.,  245  ;  ii..  291. 
Drumcree,  Wesley  at,  ii.,  81  ;  increase 

in  the  number  of  communicants,  ii., 

87  ;  church,  ii.,  154  ;    plate,  ii.,  266  ; 

clergy,  ii.,  319. 
Drumcullen,  i.,  44.   329. 
Drumlargan,  i.,  265  ;  ii.,  302. 
Drumraney,  i.,  245  ;   ii.,  153,  154,  332. 
Dubilton,  'John  de,  L,  87. 
DuddeJl.  Richard,  i.,  320 ;    ii.,  259. 
Duigenan,    Dr.,    Chancellor  of    Meath, 

ii.,   149. 

Dulane,  i.t   12,  51,  66. 

Duleek,  founded  by  St.  Kenan,  i.,  13  ; 
attacked  by  Danes,  i.,  50,  51  ; 
priory,  i.,  94  ;  abbey  church,  i.,  169  ; 
iL.  154;  prior,  i.,  189;  rural 
deanery,  i.,  121.  243  ;  parish,  ii.,  8, 
13;  plate,  ii.,  41,  268;  services,  ii. 
42  ;  clergy,  ii.,  293. 

Dunboyne,  boy  rector,  i.,  126  ;  burned 
by  Silken  Thomas,  i.,  163  ;  Bishop 
Brady  buried  at,  i.,  202  ;  garrison, 
i.,  212;  tithes,  i.,  265;  murder  of 
parish  clerk,  ii.,  107  ;  soldiery  at,  ii., 
1 08  ;  glebe  house,  ii..  140,  152,  153  ; 
plate,  ii.,  266  ;  clergy,  ii..  306. 

Dunboyne,  Lord,  ii..  79. 

Dungon's  Hill,  i.,   289. 

Dunne,  Captain  Charles,  ii.,  247. 

Dunne,   Robert  Hedges,  ii.,   183. 

Dunmoe,  i.,  211. 

Dunsany,  i.,  244 ;  ii.,  300. 

Dunsany,  Lord,  ii.,   199. 

Dunshaughlin,  founded  by  St.  Sech- 
nall,  i.,  10;  bishopric  of,  i.,  53,  61  ; 
rural  deanery,  i.,  75  ;  skirmish  at 
i.,  163  ;  tithes,  i.,  264 ;  stocks,  ii., 
58  ;  church,  ii.,  154  ;  plate  ii.,  263  ; 
clergy,  iL.  304. 

Durrow,  founded  by  St.  Columba,  L, 
32  ;  incumbent  of,  i.,  247  ;  parish, 
ii.,  48  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153;  new  church, 
ii.,  226,  248  ;  plate,  ii.,  357  ;  clergy, 
".,  330. 

Durrow,  Book  of,  i.,  37;  crozier  of.  i.,  41 . 

Dysart.  i..  246.  335. 


E. 


Eathmadh    O'Miadhchain,    Bishop    of 

Clonard,  i.,  61. 

Ecclesiastical  Commissioners,  ii.,   175. 
Edge  worth,  Maria,  ii.,   182. 
Education,  ii.,  42,  143  ;    Board  of,  ii., 

235- 


Edward  I.,  i.,  124. 

Edwards,    Dr.    Jonathan.  L,    298.  300. 

Effernock,  ii.,  50. 

Eglish,  ii..  257.  329. 

Election  of  bishops,  ii.,  219,  229. 

Election  to  conference  of  laymen,  ii., 
203  ;  to  General  Convention,  ii.,  203. 

Eleutherius,  Bishop  of  Clonard.  i.,  61  ; 
ii.,  269. 

Elizabeth.  Queen,  i..  290. 

Ellis.  Welbore,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
translated  from  Kildare,  ii.,  35  ; 
state  of  the  diocese,  ii..  35  ;  funeral, 
"••  35  '•  episcopate,  ii.,  272. 

Emancipation,  Catholic,  ii.,  165. 

Emigration,  ii.,   181,  251. 

Emlagh,  i.,  249  ;  iL,  284. 

English  clergymen  preferred  to  Irish, 
i.,  73  ;  retaliation,  i.,  74. 

English  Liturgy,  ordered,  i..  183  ; 
opposed  by  the  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  i.,  183  ;  discussion  between 
the  Primate  and  the  Bishop  of 
Meath,  i..  185  ;  restored  by  Queen 
Elizabeth,  i..  191. 

Enniscoffy.  ii.,  263,  326. 

Enniskeen.  church,  ii.,  38.  154;  dis- 
senting minister  at,  ii.,  142  ;  parish 
clerk,  ii.,  146  ;  Presbyterian  meeting 
house,  ii.,  174 ;  plate,  ii.,  262  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  286. 

Ere  of  Slane,  i..  7,   14- 

Etchen  of  Killucan,  i.,  31. 

Eugene,  first  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  62, 
73  ;  ii.,  269. 

Evans,  John,  Bishop  of  Meath.  trans- 
lated from  Bangor.  ii.,  33  ;  bequest, 
ii..  33  ;  death,  ii.,  33  ;  controversy 
with  Dean  Swift,  ii..  272. 

Everdon,  Thomas  de,  i.,   139. 

Evreaux,  Benedictine  abbey,  i..  105. 

Excommunication,  i.,  86,  88,  128; 
ii.,  17,  149.  156. 


F. 


Faelgus,  i.,  21. 

Pagan.  Luke,  Roman  Catholic  Bishop 

of  Meath,  ii.,  32,  75. 
Faghalstown,  ii.,  317. 
Faghly,  ii..  317. 

Falkiner,  W.  F.,  i..  91  ;  11.,  267. 
Fechin  of  Fore.  L,  44. 
Feogy,  Thomas,  i.,  144. 
Fennor,  i.,  121  ;  ii.,  288. 
Ferbane.  ii.,  81. 
Fercall,  i.,  217. 
Fiacc,  hymn  of,  i.,   13. 
Finances  of  Meath,  ii..  210,  249. 
Finian  of  Clonard,  i.,  18. 
Fintina  of  Clonguffin,  i.,  48. 
Fitzgerald,    William.    Bishop  of  Clon- 

fert,  ii.,  25. 
Fitzherbert.  Mrs.,  ii.,   122. 


INDEX 


349 


Fitzsymmonds,  William,  i.,   250. 

Fitzwilliam,  Lord,  ii.,   123. 

Fleming,  Christopher.  Baron  of  Slane, 
i.,  112. 

Flemyng,  John,  i.,   126. 

Foirtchernn,  i.,   2,   18. 

Follistown,  ii.,   314. 

Fore,  foundation  of,  i.,  44  ;  bishopric, 
i.,  53  ;  Benedictine  abbey,  i.,  104  ; 
romantic  story,  i.,  105  ;  rural 
deanery,  i.,  243  ;  tithes,  i.,  265  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  317. 

Forgney,  i.,  3,  15;   ii.,  154,  264,  332. 

Foundlings,  ii.,  59. 

Fowler,   Robert,  ii.,   215,   242. 

Foyran,  i.,   122  ;   247,  318. 

Franciscans,  i.,   in,   328. 

Frankfort,  Carmelite  monastery,  i., 
no;  Wesley  at,  ii.,  81  ;  see  Kil- 
cormack. 

Free  Churchyard,  i.,  75,  98. 

Fulburn,  Walter  de,  Bishop  of  Water- 
ford,  i.,  88,  89. 

Furness  Abbey,  i.,   106. 


G. 


Gallaher,  Edmund,  Bishop  of  Derry, 
i.,  208. 

Gallen,  i.,   120,  249  ;  ii.,   154,  339- 

Gallow,  i.,   265  ;  ii.,   302. 

Galtrim,  prebend  of,  i.,  80 ;  income 
of  parish,  i.,  123;  non-resident 
rector,  i.,  124;  advowson,  i.,  135; 
incumbent,  i.,  197  ;  ii.,  13  ;  vicarage, 
i.t  215;  rebels  at,  i.,  275;  chalice, 
ii.,  41  ;  parish  clerk,  ii.,  107;  vicar 
and  curate,  ii.,  137;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ; 
plate,  ii.,  260;  clergy,  ii.,  310. 

Galtrim,  Hugh  of,  i.,   136. 

Gamble,  Richard,  ii.,  245. 

Garnett,  Mr.,  curate  of  Clongill,  ii., 
187. 

Garvey,  John,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 
i.,  192,  201,  202. 

Gaulstown  Church,  ii.,  29. 

Gelasius,  Bishop  of  Clogher,  i.,   131. 

Geneville,  Geoffrey  de,  i.,   in. 

George  IV.,  ii.,    122. 

Gerrard,  Thomas,  i.,  7  ;    ii.,  206,  248, 
267,  292. 

Geravan,  Flan,  Bishop  of  Clonmac- 
noise,  i.,  157. 

Gernonstown,  ii.,  290. 

Giraldus  Cambrensis,  i.,  37,   56. 

Girley,  i.,  27,   243  ;  ii.,   311. 

Gladstone,  W.  E.,  ii.,   194,   197. 

Glass,  ancient  stained,  i.,   107. 

Glebe  houses,  bill  for  building,  ii.,  44  ; 
Nobber,  Navan,  ii.,  47  ;  built  by 
Bishop  O'Beirne,  ii.,  140,  149,  152, 

153,   174- 

Goldsmith,  Charles,  ii.,  98. 
Goldsmith,  Henry,  ii.,   84,   103. 


Goldsmith,  Oliver,  his  connection  with 
Meath,  ii.,  51  ;  description  of  parson, 
ii.,  52  ;  preaching,  ii.,  53  ;  parish- 
ioners, ii.,  55  ;  his  mother,  ii.  98. 

Gospel,  Fort  of  the,  at  Clonmacnoise, 

i-.  57- 

Gown,  preaching,  ii.,    189. 
Grangegeeth,  ii.,  288. 
Greenoge,  i.,   265  ;  ii.,   303. 
Gregge,  John,  i.,   249. 
Gregg,  Robert,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 

ii.,  214. 
Grendon,  ii.,    1 13. 


H. 


Hadsor,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
149  ;  ii.,  270. 

Hampton,  Archbishop,  i.,  231. 

Hamilton,  Mr.,  curate  of  Wherry,  ii., 
138. 

Handcock,  Hon.  Robert,  ii.,  215,  244. 

Handcock,  William,  ii.,    171. 

Hannon,   Peter,  ii.,  99. 

Harris,  John,  ii.,  97. 

Harvey,  Alfred  T.,  ii.,  201,  243. 

Henry  II.,  i.,  63  ;  III.,  i.,  83  ;  IV.,  i., 
97,  148  ;  VII.,  i.,  152. 

Henry  VIII.  claims  to  be  head  of  the 
Church,  i.,  90,  157;  divorce,  i.,  161, 
165  ;  assumes  the  title  of  King  of 
Ireland,  i.,  166 ;  dissolves  the 
monasteries,  i.,  167  ;  censures 
Bishop  Staples,  i.,  182. 

Hilda,  i.,  48. 

Hopkins,   Francis,  ii.,   246. 

Hosee,  Walter,  i.,   136. 

Hospitals,  i.,   103,   113. 

Howe,  Lord,  ii.,    113. 

Hugh,  Cardinal,  Archdeacon  of  Meath, 

i-,    137- 

Hugh,  Lord  of  Teffia,  i.,   56. 
Humphrey,   James,  i.,   175. 


I. 


Images,   i.,    177,    179 ;     miraculous,   i., 

94.  95-  97- 
Impar,     i.,   249. 
Impropriate  parishes,  i.,  169,  197,  199, 

217,   263,   265  ;    ii.,    15,   30,   31. 
Income  of  bishop,  ii.,   224. 
Incumbents  not  in  Holy  Orders,  i.,  249. 
Indulgences,  i.,    145. 
Inge,  Hugh,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  153  ; 

ii.,   271. 

Ingham,  Mr.,  curate  of  Tara,  ii.,  138. 
Innismot,  ii.,    175,   291. 
Interdict,  i.,   128. 
Irish  Church  Act,  ii.,  200,  202. 
Irish  language,  ii.,   19. 
Irish  Liturgy,  i.,    184,   ii.,  77. 


350 


INDEX 


Irishmen,  exclusion  from  church 
livings,  i.,  73  ;  from  abbeys,  i.,  94, 
114  ;  from  towns  of  the  Pale,  i.,  97. 


J- 

James  I.,  reign  of,  i.,  221  ;  Bishops  of 
Meath  in  his  reign,  i..  221  ;  appoints 
Anthony  Martin,  i.,  240  ;  condition 
of  clergy  under,  i.,  250. 

James  II.,  accession,  i.,  317  ;  treatment 
of  Protestants,  i.,  318,  321  ;  ii..  12; 
Parliament  in  Dublin,  i.,  322; 
appointments  to  parishes  in  Meath,  i. 
328. 

James  of  Spain,  i.,  80. 

Jansenists,  ii.,  32. 

Jellett,  Henry,  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's, 
ii.,  220. 

Jerusalem,  Knights  of  St.  John  of,  i, 
103. 

Jesuits,  i.,  206,  213,  236,  237,  259. 

Joly,  Dr.,  ii.,  245. 

John,  Bishop  of  Ferns,  elect  of  Meath, 
i.,  84. 

John,  King,  i.,  82,   105,   112. 

Jones,  Ambrose,  i.,  258,   299,   301. 

Jones,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  305  ; 
ii.,  271. 

Jones,  Colonel  Michael,  i.,  289,  306. 

Jones,  Sir  Roger,  i.,   246. 

Jones,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
appointed,  i.,  202  ;  his  preaching, 
i..  203  ;  advocates  severity  against 
Romanists,  i.,  203  ;  his  episcopate, 
i.,  204  ;  ii.,  271  ;  censured  by  Queen 
Elizabeth,  i.,  205  ;  his  defence,  i. 
206 ;  writings  against  the  Earl  of 
Tyrone,  i.,  210  ;  certificate  of  Meath, 
i.,  214  ;  translated  to  Dublin,  i.,  218  ; 
his  alienation  of  church  property,  i., 
1 59,  224,  241  ;  rector  of  Trim,  i.,  230. 

Jorse,  Roland,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 

i..  131- 

Julianstown,  income  of  parish,  i.,  121; 
incumbent,  ii.,  8;  glebe,  ii.,  153; 
plate,  ii.,  267  ;  clergy,  ii.,  295. 


K. 


Kearns,  rebel  leader,  ii.,   107. 

Keating,  John,  i.,  326. 

Keating,  Thomas,  i.,   228. 

Keene,  James  Bennett,  Bishop  of 
Meath,  ii.,  238,  240,  273. 

Keiran  of  Clonmacnoise,  i.,  23  ;  gapped 
bell  of,  i.,  56. 

Kells,  founded  by  Columba,  i.,  32,  33  ; 
book  of,  i.,  37,  54;  crosses,  i.,  40; 
round  tower,  i.,  40  ;  metal  work,  i., 
40 ;  crozier,  i.,  41  ;  plundered,  i., 
52,  66,  21 1  ;  burnt,  i.,  66  ;  bishopric 
of,  i.,  53,  61,  82;  synod  of,  i.,  59; 


archdeacon  of,  i..  61,  87.   124,   130, 

163.    164,    182,   257;    ii.,   46,   279; 

rural  deanery,  i.,  75,  243  ;    Augus- 

tinian  monastery,  i.,  96  ;  Trinitarian 

priory,  i.,  104  ;  income  of  parish,  i., 

123;    ii..  45;    excommunication  at. 

i..  130  ;  clergy,  i.,  191,  192  ;  ii.,  282  ; 

garrison,  i.,    210;   rectory,   i.,   214; 

curate,  i.,  247  ;  taken  by  the  rebels 

in  1641,  i.,  273;    curate  murdered. 

i.,    273;     synod   of   (1642),    i.,  283  ; 

church,  ii.,  14,  154  ;   chancel,  ii.,  37  ; 

church  furniture,  ii.,  39  ;  services,  ii  , 

41  ;   catechizing,  ii.,  42  ;   regulations 

about   pews,   ii..    58 ;     whip-beggar. 

ii.,  59  ;    temperance  society,  ii.,  61  ; 

rector,  ii.,   131  ;    choral  festival,  ii., 

258. 

Kenan  of  Duleek,  i.,   13. 
Kenley,  John  de.  Archdeacon  of  Meath, 

i.,    130. 
Kentstown,  rector  of,  i.,  197.  215,  246  ; 

income  of  parish,  i.,  121  ;  church,  ii., 

14,  154;    glebe,  ii.,  153;    anti-tithe 

agitation  at,  ii.,  169  ;   plate,  ii.,  266  ; 

clergy,  ii.,   297. 
Kerdin,  Christopher,  i.,  229. 
Kilallon,    contested    appointment,  i... 

139;  rector,  i.,  216,  250;    castle,  i., 

289  ;   church,  ii.,  39  ;   glebe,  ii.,  153  ; 

plate,  ii.,  264,    268  ;    clergy,  ii.,  324. 
Kilbeg,  i.,   265  ;  ii.,   284. 
Kilbeggan,    Cistercian    monastery,    i., 

93  ;    rector,  i.,  125  ;    curate  robbed, 

i.,  275  ;    tragedy  at,  i.,  276  ;   church 

seized,  i.,  326  ;   skirmish  at,  ii.,  107  ; 

glebe,    ii.,    153;     church,    ii.,    154; 

plate,  ii.,  263,  268  ;  clergy,  ii.,  327. 
Kilberry,  i.,  191,  244  ;  ii.,  14,  43,  292. 
Kilbixey,  founded  by  Bigseach,  i.,  48  ; 

Abbey  of  Tristernach,  i.,  74;  Glebe, 

ii.,  153;    plate;  ii.,  267;    clergy,  ii., 

336. 

Kilbrady,  ii.,   154. 
Kilbrew,  rector,  i.,  215,  246;  attacked 

by  rebels,  ii.,   107  ;    glebe,  ii.,   153  ; 

church,  154  ;  plate,  ii.,  261  ;    clergy, 

H-,  303. 

Kilbride-Castlecor,  i.,  228  ;  ii.,  316. 
Kilbride  Pilate,  i..  122;   ii.,  153,  154. 
Kilbride  Veston,  i.,   122. 
Kilcarn,  i.,   121  ;  ii.,  289. 
Kilcleagh,  incumbent,  i.,  248  ;  tithes, 

i.,  265  ;    glebe,  i..  265  ;   ii.,  48,  153  ; 

clergy,  ii.,   337  ;  see  Moate. 
Kilclone,  i.,  265  ;  ii.,  301. 
Kilcormack,  Carmelite  friary,  i.,   no; 

tithes,   ii.,    31  ;     see   Frankford    and 

Ballyboy. 

Kildalkey,  i.,  15,  54,  145,  148  ;  ii.,  311. 
Kildare,  i.,  37,  48. 
Kildare,  Earl  of,  i.,  152,  161.  162. 
Kildare  Place  Society,  ii..   175. 
Kilgluin,  i.,  3. 
Kilkenny,  synod  of,  i.,  248. 


INDEX 


351 


Kilkenny  West,  monastery  of  Cross- 
bearers,  i.,  102  ;  church  seized,  i., 
238;  glebe,  ii.,  152,  153;  Methodist 
chapel,  ii.,  174;  plate,  ii.,  267; 
clergy,  ii.,  333. 

Killagally,  i.,  120,  265. 

Killary  or  Killavy,  i.,  197,  216,  228, 
246  ;  ii.,  291. 

Killeagh,  ii.,   153,  154,  316. 

Killeen,  i.,  150,  216;    ii.,  300. 

Killegland,  i.,  265  ;   ii.,  302. 

Killochonnigan,  incumbent,  i.,  250  ; 
church,  ii.,  39,  154  ;  income  of  parish, 
ii.,  45  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ;  plate,  277  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  312. 

Killoughey,  glebe,  i.,  265  ;  ii.,  153  ; 
church,  ii.,  154;  endowment,  ii., 
246  ;  clergy,  ii.,  329. 

Killua,  ii.,  325. 

Killucan,  St.  Etchen  of,  i.,  31  ;  rector, 
i.,  140,  216,  233  ;  church,  i.,  243  ;  ii., 
13,  154;  glebe,  ii.,  141,  153; 
plate,  ii.,  258  ;  clergy,  ii.,  321. 

Killulagh,  i.,  122  ;   ii..  319. 

Killyon,  ii.,  320. 

Kilmacnevin,  ii.,  336. 

Kilmainhambeg  or  Kilbeg,  i.,   104. 

Kilmainhan  Wood,  i.,  104  ;  ii.,  45,  154, 
285- 

Kilmessan,  i.,  197  ;    ii.,  299. 

Kilmoon,  income  of  parish,  i.,  121  ; 
church,  ii.,  154;  plate,  ii.,  261; 
clergy,  ii.,  303. 

Kilmore,  diocese,  i.,  131,  224,  229. 

Kilmore,  parish,  i.,  215  ;  tithes,  i.,  264  ; 
attacked  by  rebels,  ii.,  107  ;  glebe, 
ii.,  153  ;  clergy,  ii.,  306. 

Kilnegarenagh,  i.,  265  ;   ii.,  266,  330. 

Kilpatrick  (Meath),  see  Castletown  Kil- 
patrick. 

Kilpatrick  (Westmeath),  i.,  9  ;   ii.,  318. 

Kilsharvan,  ii.,  296. 

Kilshine,  no  curate  in  1622,  i.,  249  ; 
tithes,  i.,  265  ;  tablet  in  church,  ii., 
150  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ;  church,  ii.,  154  ; 
plate,  ii.,  266  ;  clergy,  ii.,  293. 

Kilskyre,  foundation,  i.,  48  ;  plundered, 
i.,  52,  66  ;  rectory,  i.,  216  ;  church, 
i.,  243  ;  rector,  i.,  248,  250  ;  Holy 
Communion,  ii.,  42  ;  clergy,  ii., 
285. 

Kiltale,  ii.,  300. 

Kimmis,  Mr.,  incumbent  of  Ballyboy, 
ii.,  136. 

King,  his  part  in  election  of  bishops, 
i.,  79,  80. 

King,  Archbishop,  imprisoned,  i.,  333  ; 
his  opinion  of  Bishop  Fitzgerald,  ii, 
25  ;  letter  about  the  Diocese  of 
Meath,  ii.,  26  ;  his  opinion  of  Bishop 
Evans,  ii.,  33  ;  on  penal  laws,  ii. 
68  ;  on  the  writing  of  a  history  of 
Ireland,  ii.,  99. 

Kingscourt  Methodist  Chapel,  ii.,  174  ; 
see  Enniskeen. 


Kinnegad,  taken  by  Sir  Charles  Coote, 
i.,  293  ;  curate,  ii.,  141  ;  clergy,  ii., 
321. 

Kirwan,  Dean,  ii.,  156. 

Knock,  i.,  247  ;  ii.,  287. 

Knockcommon,  ii.,  289. 

Knockmark,  tithes,  i.,  265  ;  plate,  ii., 
40,  251  ;  parish  registers  burnt,  ii., 
107;  glebe,  ii.,  153;  church,  ii., 
154  ;  clergy,  ii.,  312. 


L. 


Lacken,  ii.,  335. 

Laisren  of  Durrow,  i.,  33. 

Lambert,  Ralph,  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii., 

34,  272. 
Lancaster,     Thomas,     Archdeacon     of 

Kells,  i.,  164. 

Land  League,  ii.,  226,  243. 
Landulph,  Cardinal,  i.,  138. 
Langford,  Sir  Arthur,  i.,  314;  Sir 

Hercules,  i.,  313. 

Lapsed    Protestants,    Service    for    Re- 
ceiving, ii.,  21. 
Laracor,  tithes,  i.,  264  ;    vicar,  i.,  313  ; 

no  carpet  or  surplice,  ii.,  40  ;  services, 

ii.,   41  ;     curate,   ii.,    44 ;     glebe,   ii. 

153  ;     Presbyterian    meeting   house, 

ii.,  174  ;   plate,  ii.,  260  ;  clergy,  309. 
Laude  Dei,  priory  of,  i.,  94. 
Law,  John,  appointed  to  the  bishopric 

of  Meath,  ii.,  31. 
Lean,    James,    imprisoned   by    Bishop 

Dopping,  i.,  319. 
Leary,  King,  i.,  6. 
Leckno,  see  Piercetown  Landy. 
Lee,  Archdeacon,  ii.,  208. 
Lemanaghan,  boy  rector,  i.,  126  ;  tithes, 

i.,  264  ;    clergy,  ii.,  328. 
Leney,    no    curate    in    1622,    i.,    249  ; 

church,  ii.,   39,    154;    plate,  ii.,  41, 

266;   glebe,  ii.,  153  ;    clergy,  ii.,  334. 
Leslie,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  304  ; 

ii.,  271. 

Leodgarvick,  i.,  249. 
Lever,  John  and  Charles,  ii.,  183. 
Lewis,  Cardinal,  i.,   138. 
Lewis,  George,   Archdeacon  of  Meath, 

ii.,  259. 

Lickbla,  ii.,  318. 
Lightburne,    Stafford,   ii.,    44,    63,   98, 

262. 

Limerick,  articles  of,  ii.,  69. 
Liscartan,  ii.,  314. 

Lismore,  book  of,  i.,  20  ;   see  of,  i.,  45. 
Lismullen,  i.,   103,   122  ;    ii.,  298. 
Llanthony,  i.,  94. 
Lockwood,     Thomas,     Archdeacon    of 

Kells,  i.,  164. 
Loftus,  Adam,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 

i.,    190 ;     Dean   of   St.    Patrick's,    i. 
195  ;    Archbishop  of  Dublin,  i.,  196. 
Lomman,  i.,  2,  15. 


352 


INDEX 


Longworth.  Edward  Dames,  ii.,  245. 
Lorica.   of  St.    Patrick,   i.,   7 ;   of  St. 

Columkill,  i.,  34. 
Loughan,  i..  40  ;    ii.,  284. 
Loughbraccan,  i.,  246;    ii.,  291. 
Loughcrcw,  vicar,  i.,  250 ;    glebe,  ii., 

140;   parish  clerk,  ii.,  146;   plate,  i., 

320;   ii..  259;   clergy,  ii.,  315. 
Loughsuedy,  rector,  i.,  125,  189.  141  ; 

rural   deanery,   i.,    243  ;     parish,   i., 

249  ;    see  Ballymore. 
Loundres,  William  de,  i.,  106. 
Luttrell,  Robert,  i.,  191. 
Lynally,  founded  by  St.  Colman.  i.,  45  ; 

glebe,  i.,  265  ;  church  seized,  i.,  325  ; 

new  church,  ii.,  248  ;   plate,  ii.,  267  ; 

clergy,  ii.,  331. 
Lynn,  i.,  122,  325. 


M. 


MacCoghlan,  erenach  of  Clonmacnoise, 
i..  156. 

MacCoughlan,  Corraac,  Bishop  of  Clon- 
macnoise, i.,  156. 

Macetown,  ii.,  303. 

MacGillevider,  Eugene,  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  i.,  82. 

MacMollisa,  Nicholas,  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  i.,  131,  132. 

Magluay,  Donald,  i.,  140. 

Maguire,  J.  F.     ii.,   194. 

Malachy  of  Armagh,  i.,  58,  70,  92. 

Marisius,  Geoffrey  de,  i.,  83. 

Malone,  William,  i.,  232. 

Marsh,  Francis,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
ii.,  10. 

Marsh,  Narcissus,  Archbishop  of  Cashel 
(afterwards  of  Dublin),  ii.,  25. 

Martin,  Anthony,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
240,  258,  304  ;  attacked  by  rebels, 
i.,  277  ;  imprisoned,  i.,  286  ;  death, 
i.,  294  ;  episcopate,  ii.,  271. 

Martry,  i.,  124  ;    ii.,  314. 

Mary,  Queen,  deprives  Bishop  Staples, 
i.,  1 88  ;  appoints  Bishop  Walsh,  i., 
189  ;  opposes  papal  provision,  i.,  189. 

Mary's  Abbey,  Dublin,  i.,  73. 

Mascal,  Robert,  i.,  148. 

Massacre  of  Protestants  in  1641,  i.,  270. 

Maule,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Meath,  on 
schools,  ii.,  78  ;  translated  from 
Dromore,  ii.,  94 ;  charter  schools, 
ii.,  94 ;  settlement  at  Ardbraccan, 
ii.,  95  ;  visitation,  ii.,  96,  99  ; 
restores  tomb  of  Bishop  Montgomery, 
ii.,  99  ;  proposes  to  write  a  history 
of  Ireland,  ii.,  09  ;  presents  plate  to 
Ardbraccan,  ii.,  265  ;  episcopate,  ii., 
272. 

Maurice,  Abbot  of  Kells,  i.,  130. 

Maxwell,  Henry,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
translated  from  Dromore,  ii.,  102  ; 
visitation,  ii.,  103  ;  presents  plate 


to    Ardbraccan,    ii.,    265 ;     and    to 

Nobbcr,  ii.,  267  ;  episcopate,  ii.,  272. 
Maxwell.  Henry,  incumbent  of  Wherry. 

ii.,  138. 

Maxwell,  Mr.,  ii.,  138. 
Mayne,     glebe,      i..    245;      ii.,     153; 

incumbent,  i..  248  ;  church,  ii.,  154  ; 

plate,  ii.,  255  ;  clergy,  317. 
Maynooth  College,  i.,  153;   ii..  125. 
Meath,  Diocese  of.  dates  from  the  synod 

of  Kells,  i.,  61  ;    ii.,  269  ;    revenues, 

i.,  241  ;  suffered  from  soldiery,  ii.,  3  ; 

returns  for  1807  and  1820,  ii.,  151  ; 

population,      ii.,      174;       proposed 

suppression,  ii.,  196  ;    precedence,  ii., 

231- 

Meath,  Kingdom  of,  i.,  I. 
Meindartt,  John,  Jansenist  Archbishop 

of  Utrecht,  ii.,  32. 
Mellifont,  i.,  58,  92,  122. 
Mendicant  Orders,  i..  117. 
Menevia,  i.,  18. 
Metal  work,  i.,  40. 
Metcalfe,  William,  vicar  of  Sydaar,  i., 

274. 

Methodism,  ii.,  81. 
Mexico,  reformation  movement  in,  ii., 

223. 

Minchin,  Dr.,  ii.,  41. 
Ministers  appointed  under  the  Common- 
wealth, i.,  295,  299,  308. 
Minors  appointed  to  livings,  i.,  126. 
Missions,  contributions  to,  ii.,  250. 
Mitchelstown,  ii.,  292. 
Mitre,  ii.,  36. 
Moate,  church,  i.,  243;    ii.,  48,   154; 

Wesley  at,  ii.,  81  ;    glebe,  ii.,   153  ; 

Quaker  meeting  house,  ii.,  174  ;    see 

Kilcleagh. 

Molloy,  Hugh  or  Odp,  i.,  no. 
Monasteries,  Celtic,  i.,   18  ;    destroyed 

by    the    English,    i.,     72  ;      Anglo- 

Norman,  i.,  92,  113  ;    dissolution  of, 

i.,  115,  166,  172,  173;    its  effect  on 

the  church  in  Meath,  i.,  167  ;    sales 

of  property,  i.,  169. 
Monknewtown,  ii.,  228. 
Monktown,  ii.,  44,  298. 
Montgomery,  George,  Bishop  of  Meath, 

i.,  221  ;    report,  i..  227;    tomb,  ii., 

99;    episcopate,  ii.,  271. 
Money,  value  of,  i.,  119. 
Moorchurch,  i.,  121  ;   ii.,  8,  206. 
Moreton,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii., 

3i,  272. 

Morgallion,  i.,  95,  212. 
Morgan  bequest,  ii.,  236. 
Mornington,  ii.,  295. 
Moyagher,  ii.,  311. 
Moydrum,    episcopal    property    in,    i., 

241  ;   new  church,  ii.,  226,  247. 
Moyglare,  vicar  of,  i.,  250 ;    tithes,  ii., 

31  ;   incumbent  and  curate,  ii..  139  ; 

school,  ii.,  144  ;  parish  clerk,  ii.,  146  ; 

glebe,  ii.,  153  ;    clergy,  ii.,  300. 


INDEX 


353 


Moyliscar,  income  of  parish,  i.,  122  ; 
glebe,  ii.,  153  ;  new  church,  ii.,  226, 
247  ;  plate,  ii.,  263  ;  clergy,  ii.,  325. 

Moylough,  i.,  245  ;    ii.,  315. 

Moymett,  no  curate  in  1622,  i.,  249  ; 
tithes,  i.,  265  ;  school,  ii.,  143  ;  glebe, 
ii.,  153  ;  parish  suspended,  ii.,  175  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  308. 

Moynalty,  union  of ,  i.,  104;  troops  led 
by  the  Bishop  of  Meath  at,  i.,  202  ; 
rectory,  i.,  216  ;  church,  i.,  243  ;  ii., 
14,  38;  curate,  i.,  247;  catechizing, 
ii.,  43  ;  skirmish  at,  ii.,  107  ;  plate, 
ii.,  262  ;  clergy,  ii.,  283. 

Moyvore,  i.,  125. 

Mountain,  Robert,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
148  ;  ii.,  270. 

Mullingar,  Augustinian  monastery,  i., 
95  ;  Trinitarian  priory,  i.,  104; 
Dominican  monastery,  i.,  in;  in- 
come of  parish,  i.,  122  ;  rectory,  i., 
217  ;  abbey  near,  i.,  238  ;  rural 
deanery,  i.,  243  ;  incumbent,  i.,  248  ; 
Capuchins  at,  i.,  259  ;  vicar  robbed, 
i.,  275  ;  town  burned,  i.,  289  ;  state 
of  parish,  ii.,  13  ;  church,  ii.,  37,  154, 
163  ;  services,  ii.,  41  ;  Wesley  at, 
ii.,  81,  83  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ;  confirma- 
tion at,  ii.,  163  ;  Presbyterian  and 
Methodist  Chapels,  ii.,  174  ;  synod, 
ii.,  203,  209  ;  plate,  ii.,  266  ;  clergy, 
ii.,  321. 

Mulloy,  Coote  Charles,  ii.,  184. 

Multifarnham,  Franciscan  abbey,  i.,  112, 
206  ;  income  of  parish,  i.,  122  ; 
rectory,  i.,  217  ;  incumbent,  i.,  229, 
246  ;  abbey  rebuilt,  i.,  237,  238,  269  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  335. 

Munis  of  Forgney,  i.,  15. 

Murtough  O'Maolidhir,  Bishop  of  Clon- 
macnoise,  i.,  62. 


N. 


Nangle,  see  Angulo. 

Nany,  see  Julianstown. 

Naper,  J.  L.,  ii.,  245. 

National  Education,  Board  of,  ii.,  175, 
186,  187. 

Navan,  abbey  of,  i.,  95  ;  district  wasted; 
i.,  211,212;  church,  i.,  244  ;  ii.,  154, 
tithes,  i.,  265  ;  troubles  in  1641,  i., 
272,  273  ;  appointment  of  Crom- 
wellian  preachers,  i.,  297  ;  Mass 
house  used  for  service,  ii.,  14  ;  glebe 
ii.,  47  ;  stocks,  ii.,  58  ;  opposition 
to  R.  C.  bishop,  ii.,  77  ;  rector,  ii., 
131  ;  school,  ii.,  143,  235  ;  diocesan 
conference  at,  ii.,  199  ;  synod,  ii., 
203,  210;  clergy,  ii.,  312. 

Nelson,  Mr.,  curate  of  Tara,  ii.,  106,  137. 

Newtown  (Kells),  1.^247  '•  "••  I53>  2^2> 
284. 


Newtown  (Trim),  Augustinian  abbey, 
i-»  75  J  synod  of,  i.,  75  ;  fracas  at 
abbey,  i.,  101  ;  Hospital  of  Crutched 
Friars,  i.,  104. 

Newtown  Fertullagh,  rector,  i.,  246 
catechizing,  ii.,  145  ;  glebe,  ii.,  152, 
153  ;  plate,  ii.,  265  ;  clergy,  ii.,  328. 

Nicholl,  Robert,  i.,  285. 

Nimbus,  i.,  39. 

Nobber,  united  to  the  archdeaconry  of 
Kells,  i.,  89  ;  ii.,  46  ;  church,  i.,  243  ; 
ii.,  39  ;  plate,  ii.,  267  ;  clergy,  ii., 
288. 

Nomination,  board  of,  ii.,  206. 

Non- jurors,  ii.,  70. 

Non-residence,  i.,  123,  229;  ii.,  13,  103, 
173;  causes  of,  ii.,  17;  bills  for 
enforcing  residence,  ii.,  44,  132  ; 
O'Beirne's  reforms,  ii.,  149. 

Norman,  Philip  le,  i.,  136. 

Norsemen,  i.,  49. 

Noughaval,  i.,  56  ;    ii.,  322. 

Nugent,  Garrett,  Archdeacon  of  Meath, 
ii.,  215,  242. 

Nugent,  Richard,  ii.,  184. 


O. 


O'Beirne,  Thomas  Lewis,  Bishop  of 
Meath,  birth,  ii.,  no  ;  at  St.  Omer's 
College,  ii.,  in  ;  joins  the  Church  of 
England,  ii.,  112;  ordination,  ii. 
113,  115;  voyage  to  America,  ii, 
113;  erroneous  account  given  by 
some  writers,  ii.,  114  ;  literary  work, 
ii.,  116  ;  chaplain  to  Lord  Portland, 
ii.,  117;  letter  of  Bishop  Plunkett, 
ii.,  118  ;  sermon  on  Trafalgar  Day, 
ii.,  119  ;  story  of  his  introduction  to 
the  Duke  of  Portland,  ii.,  121  ; 
marriage,  ii.,  122  ;  Mrs.  Fitzherbert, 
ii.,  122  ;  rector  of  Templemichael,  ii., 
123  ;  Bishop  of  Ossory,  ii.,  123  ; 
translated  to  Meath,  ii.,  123  ;  protest 
in  favour  of  the  Union,  ii.,  123  ;  on 
Maynooth  College,  ii.,  125  ;  preach- 
ing, ii.,  127  ;  works,  ii.,  128  ;  queries 
sent  to  his  clergy,  ii.,  130  ;  on  non- 
residence,  ii.,  131  ;  on  ecclesiastical 
discipline,  ii.,  133  ;  on  preaching, 
ii.,  ISS;  withdraws  from  the 
Hibernian  Bible  Society,  ii.,  160  ; 
last  confirmation  tour,  ii.,  163  ; 
tablet  inArdbraccan  church,  ii.,  163; 
episcopate,  ii.,  273. 

O'Burne,  C., curate  of  Kinnegad,ii.,  141. 

O'Carroll,  John,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
90,  142  ;  ii.,  269. 

O'Carroll,  John,  rector  of  Kilallon,  i., 
139. 

O'Connor,  Milo,  Archdeacon  of  Clon- 
macnoise,  i.,  120. 

O' Conor,  Cathal  Dearg,  Prince  of 
Connaught,  i.,  n  J. 

2  A 


354 


INDEX 


O'Daly,  chief  poet  of  Ireland,  i.,  21. 
Odder,  i..  103,  122. 
Oengus.  lord  of  Laeghaire,  i.,  21. 
O'Fynnan,  Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise,  i., 

93- 

Oldcastle  taken  by  Lord  Broghill,  i, 
293  ;  Methodism  at,  ii.,  85  ;  cathe- 
chizing,  ii.,  145  ;  parish  clerk,  ii., 
146;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ;  church,  ii.,  154  ; 
Methodist  chapel,  ii.,  174;  clergy, 

ii-  3i5- 

O'Mayler,  John,  i.,  94. 
O'Melaghlin,  King  of  Meath,  i.,  103. 
O'Melaghlin,  Cahir,  Dean  of  Clonmac- 
noise, i.,  1 56. 
O'Molone,    Dean  of   Clonmacnoise,   i., 

156. 

O'Neill,  Shane,  i.,  202. 
Onniyl,  John,  i.,  126. 
O'Reilly,  Hugh,  R.  C.  Archbishop  of 

Armagh,  i.,  283. 

O'Reilly,  Philip,  attacks  Meath,  i.,  210. 
Organ,  ii.,  14. 

O'Rorke,  Tiernan,  i.,  64,  69. 
Ormond,  Duke  of,  i.,  292,  304,  317. 
Ota,  Danish  queen,  i.,  50. 
O'Toole,  Laurence,  i.,  71. 
Otway,    non- juror    Bishop   of    Ossory, 

ii.,  2. 
Ould,  Mr.,  incumbent  of  Rathconrath, 

ii.,  136. 
Ouldhall,  William,  Bishop    of    Meath, 

i.,  150  ;    ii.,  270. 
Owel,  Lake,  i.,  50. 


P. 


Pakenham,    Mr.,    chaplain    to    Bishop 

O'Beirne,  ii.,  163. 
Pale,  the,  i.,  i,  72,  278,  282. 
Pall,  i.,  59. 
Papiron,   Cardinal,   i.,    60,     100 ;     ii., 

233. 

Parker,  John,  ii.,  47. 
Parliament,  English,  i.,  280,  286,  291. 
Patrick,  Saint,  preaches  in  Meath,  i., 
2,  4;    Lorica,  i.,  7;  founds  Donagh- 
patrick,  i.,  7  ;    other  churches,  i.,  9  ; 
companions    of,    i.,    10 ;     Sechnall's 
hymn  in  praise  of,  i.,  ii  ;   revises  the 
old  laws,  i.,   12  ;    escape  from  cap- 
tivity, i.,  13  ;   "  family"  of,  i.,  14. 
Patron  saints,  i.,  10. 
Paul,  William  de,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 

142  ;    ii.,  270. 

Payne,  John,  Bishop  of  Meath,  supports 
Simnel,  i.,  151  ;  contest  with  the 
Earl  of  Kildare,  152  ;  tablet  in  St. 
Patrick's  Cathedral,  i.,  153  ;  episco- 
pate, ii.,  270. 

Paynestown,  rectory,  i.,  121,  215  ;  ii., 
44  ;  non-resident  incumbent,  i.,  229, 
246;  glebe,  ii.,  152,  153;  plate,  ii., 
263  ;  clergy,  ii.,  289. 


Peacockc,  joseph.,T'crguson,  Bishop  of 

Meath,  ii.,  238,  273. 
Penal  laws.  i..  191,  213,  235,  259;   ii., 

67. 

Penances,  i.,  76. 
Petit,  Alexander.  Bishop  of  Meath.  i., 

147  ;   ii.,  270. 
Petit.  John,  i.,  96. 
Pews,  ii.,  57. 
Pewter  vessels,  ii.,  268. 
Philip,  Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise,  i.,  155. 
Piercetown,  ii.,  344. 
Piercetownlandy,  i.,  121,  265  ;  ii.,  303. 
Pilgrimages,  i.,  97. 
Pilkington,  H.  M.,  ii.,  206,  209. 
Piozzi,  Mrs.,  ii.,  127. 
Plague,  i.,  294. 
Plate,  ii.,  40,  255. 
Plunket  family,  i.,  112. 
Plunket,  Baron   William  Cunningham, 

Bishop  of  Meath,  ii.,  221,  227.  273. 
Plunkett.  Alexander,  i.,  250. 
Plunkett,  Oliver,  i.,  250. 
Plunkett,     Patrick     Joseph,     Roman 
Catholic  Bishop  of  Meath,    ii.,   77, 
105,  112,  117,  118. 
Pluralities,  i.,  123,  171,  248. 
Pococke,    Richard,    Bishop  of   Meath, 
translated    from     Ossory,    ii.,     ipi; 
helps  Mervyn  Archdall  in  compiling 
the  "  Monasticon,"  ii.,   101  ;    mode 
of  travelling,  ii.,  101  ;  cedar  trees  at 
Ardbraccan,  ii.,  102  ;   episcopate,  ii., 
272. 

Pollock,  John,  ii.,  151. 
Pope,  part  in  episcopal  elections,  i.,  81 ; 

provision,  i.  81  ;  appeals  to,  i.,  89. 
Portland,  Duke  of,  ii.,  117,  120. 
Portloman,  i.,  15,  122;   ii.,  323. 
Portnashangan,  i.,  122  ;   ii.,  266,  322. 
Portugal,   reformation    movement   in, 

ii.,  223. 

Preaching  ministers,  i.,  229,  249. 
Prene,  John,  i.,  124. 
Preston,  Catherine,  i.,  112. 
Preston  family,  i.,  104. 
Preston,  General,  i.,  289. 
Preston,  Mr.,  Master  of  Navan  School. 

ii.,  143- 
Pretender,  the,  appoints  R.  C.  bishops, 

ii.,  70. 

Price.  Arthur,  Bishop  of  Meath,  trans- 
lated from  Ferns,  ii.,  92  ;    plan  for 
building  see  house,  ii.,  92  ;  translated 
to  Cashel,  ii.,  93  ;  episcopate,  ii..  272. 
Price,  Richard,  i.,  250. 
Priests,  Roman  Catholic,  i.,  236  ;  ii.,  73. 
Primacy,  election  to,  ii.,  209. 
Privy  Council,  ii.,  273. 
Proctors,  ii.,  97. 

Protestant  Orphan  Society,  ii.,  181. 
Proud,  George,  Vicar  of  Trim,  i.,  326. 
Provision,  papal,  i.,  90,  143,  145.  149, 

150. 
Provisors,  statute  of,  i.,  139.  140. 


INDEX 


355 


Psalter  of  St.  Columba,  i.,  41. 
Purdam,  Gilbert,  i.,  229. 
Purdon,  Richard,  i.,  250. 
Puritans,  i.,  262,  278,  303. 


R. 


Rad  cliff,  Dr.,  Chancellor  of  Meath,  ii., 

45- 
Radcliff,    Mr.,    chaplain    to    Wilson's 

Hospital,  ii.,  107. 
Raddanstown,  tithes,  i.,  265  ;    school, 

ii.,     144 ;     plate,    ii.,    262  ;     clergy, 

ii.,  301. 

Rahan,  i.,  45  ;   ii.,  153,  330. 
Rahugh,  assembly  at,  i.,  51  ;    Baptist 

chapel,  ii.,  174. 
Ralph  le  Petit,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  81, 

83,  95  ;   ii.,  269. 
Ratane,  i.,  249,  265  ;   ii.,  314. 
Rathbeggan,  vicarage,  i.,  215  ;    glebe, 

ii.,  153;    church,  77,  154;   plate,  ii., 

263  ;   clergy,  ii.,  305. 
Rathconnell,  i.,  122,  245,  289  ;   ii.,  153, 

323- 

Rathconrath,  rectory,  i.,  217  ;  incum- 
bent, i.,  248  ;  church  seized,  i.,  326  ; 
ntn-residence,  ii.,  135  ;  glebe,  ii., 
153;  church,  ii.,  154;  plate,  ii., 
259  ;  clergy,  ii.,  334- 

Rathcore,  i.,  48  ;  church,  ii.,  39  ;  parish 
clerk,  ii.,  146  ;  clergy,  ii.,  308. 

Rathfeigh,  i.,  121,  215,  245  ;   ii.,  297. 

Rathgraffe,  ii.,  317  ;    see  Castlepollard. 

Rathkenny,  ii.,  290. 

Rathmolyon,  church,  ii.,  14,  39  ;  non- 
residence,  ii.,  135  ;  glebe,  ii.,  153  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  314. 

Rathmore,  i.,  216,  247  ;    ii.,  311. 

Rathregan,  i.,  264  ;   ii.,  306. 

Rathwire,      see      Killucan. 

Ratoath,  union  of,  i.,  170  ;  garrison  i., 
212;  vicarage,  i.,  215;  rural 
deanery,  i.,  243  ;  tithes,  i.,  264  ;  ii., 
31  ;  non-residence,  ii.,  136  ;  glebe, 
ii.,  153;  church,  ii.,  154;  plate,  ii., 
260,  268  ;  clergy,  ii.,  302. 

Reading  Ministers,  i.,  229,  249. 

Rebellion  (1641),  i.,  267,  278,  305  ; 
(1798),  ii.,  104. 

Records,  accuracy  of  ancient,  i.,  23. 

Recusants,  i.,  257. 

Reeves,  Bishop,  account  of  John 
Soreth,  i.,  109. 

Reichel,  Charles  Parsons,  Bishop  of 
Meath,  trains  choirs,  ii.,  201  ;  member 
of  General  Convention,  ii.,  205  ; 
proposes  system  of  nomination,  ii., 
206  ;  on  the  resignation  of  Arch- 
deacon Lee,  ii.,  208  ;  chosen  on 
select  list  at  episcopal  election,  ii., 
220 ;  elected  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii. 
228  ;  death,  ii.,  236  ;  episcopate,  ii., 
273- 


Representative  Church  Body,  ii.,  202. 

Restoration,  the,  i.,  303. 

Restoration  of  churches,  ii.,  226. 

Revision  of  the  Prayer  Book,  ii.,  208. 

Revival,  the  great,  ii.,  191. 

Revolution,  English,  ii.,  i  ;  French, 
ii.,  103. 

Reynell,  William,  ii.,  281. 

Reynolds,  Charles,  Archdeacon  of  Kells, 
i.,  163. 

Richard  II.,  i.,  147,  155. 

Richard  of  Dundalk,  Archbishop  of 
Armagh,  i.,  117. 

Rinuccini,  John  Baptist,  Papal  Nuncio, 
i.,  287. 

Robertstown,  i.,  265  ;   ii.,  284. 

Rochford,  Simon,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
appointment,  i.,  74  ;  holds  synod  at 
Newtown,  i.,  75  ;  death,  i.,  78,  82  ; 
candidate  for  the  primacy,  i.,  81; 
removes  see  from  Clonard  to  New- 
town,  i.,  101  ;  effigy  of,  i.,  102  ; 
episcopate,  ii.,  269. 

Rochfort,  Prime  Iron,  ii.,  29. 

Rochfort,  Robert,  ii.,  29. 

Roderic  O'Connor,  King  of  Ireland,  i., 
63,  65,  67. 

Rokeby,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
153  ;  ii.,  270. 

Rosen,  General,  i.,   324. 

Round  towers,  i.,  28,  40. 

Ruman,  i.,  21. 

Rural  Deaneries,  formerly  bishoprics, 
i->  53.  75  ;  visitations,  i.,  76  ;  revival 
of,  ii.,  20;  salaries,  ii.,  241. 

Rynagh,  i.,  249,  265  ;  ii.,  264,  339 
see  Banagher. 


S. 


Saints,  Irish,  three  orders  of,  i.,  19  ; 
vindictive  character  of,  i.,  56. 

Sancto  Severo,  Walter,  i.,  124. 

Sanctuary,  i.,  40,  54- 

Salerni,  Matthew  de,  i.,  124. 

Sarsfield,  General,  i.,  325. 

Scheme,  Financial,  ii.,  213;  supple- 
mental, ii.,  241. 

Schiria  of  Kilskyre,  i.,  48. 

Schools,  ancient  Irish,  i.,  17  ;  English, 
ii.,  19  ;  Irish  to  be  suppressed,  ii,, 
20  ;  diocesan,  ii.,  142  ;  parochial, 

ii-,  143- 
Schoolmasters  appointed  by  Cromwell, 

i.,  301. 

Scripture  Readers,  ii.,   190. 
Scurlog,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 

149. 

Scurlogstown,  ii.,  308. 
Seal,  of  the  clergy  of  Meath,  i.,  91  ;    of 

Durrow  and  Trim,  i.,  96. 
Seanchus  Mor,  i.;  12. 
Sechnall  of  Dunshaughlin,  i.,   10  ;    his 

hymn,  i.,  n. 


356 


INDEX 


Sectaries,  ii.,  159. 

See  House,  i.,  242.  245  ;  ii.,  66,  92, 
103,  225. 

Services,  frequency  of,  ii.,  172. 

Settlement,  Act  of.  i.,  322,  331. 

Shamrock,  i..  6. 

Shannon  Bridge,  ii.,  247. 

Sharpe,  Alexander,  i.,  250,  274. 

Sharpe,  John,  i.,  273. 

Shepley.  Robert,  i.,  247. 

Sheridan,  William,  Bishop  of  Kilmorc, 
ii.,  2. 

Sherwood,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
i.,  150,  165  ;  ii.,  270. 

Shrines,  i.,  41,  47,  49. 

Silk,  William.  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii.,  270. 

Sing,  George,  i.,  246. 

Singer,  Joseph  Henderson,  Bishop  of 
Meath,  ii.,  186,  191,  273. 

Singer,  Aemelius,  ii.,  191. 

Skryne,  shrine  of  St.  Columba,  i.,  47, 
49 ;    prebend,   i.,   80 ;     Augustinian 
monastery,    i.,     102  ;      non-resident 
rector,   i.,    124;     vicarage,   i.,    215 
rural  deanery,  i.,  243  ;  tithes,  i.,  264 
intolerance  at,  i.,  285  ;    incumbent 
ii.,  44;    glebe,  ii.,   153;    church,  ii. 
154;    new  church,  ii.,   248;    plate 
ii.,  259  ;   clergy,  ii.,  298. 

Slane,  St.  Patrick  at,  i.,  5,7;    church 
i.,  9,  14  ;   attacked  by  Danes,  i.,  50 
bishopric,  i.,  53  ;   wasted,  i.,  66,  211 
rectory,  i.,   216;    rural  deanery,  i. 
75,  243  ;    Franciscan  abbey,  i.,  112 
Capuchin  abbey,  i.,  237  ;    college,  i. 
245  ;    strolling  pigs,  ii.,  60  ;    incum- 
bent, ii.,  131  ;    glebe,  ii.,  153  ;   plate, 
ii.,  268  ;    Clergy,  ii.,  288. 

Smith,  Moor,  ii.,  140. 

Smith,  Zephaniah,  i.,  296. 

Smyth,  Arthur,  Bishop  of  Meath,  ii., 
102,  272. 

Smyth,  William,  i.,  247. 

Smyth,  William  Barlow,  ii.,  209,  215, 
243.  3i8. 

Soreth,  John,  General  of  the  Carmelites, 
i.,  109. 

Southwell,  Sir  Robert,  ii.,  26. 

Spain,  James  of,  i.,  124. 

Spain,  reformation  movement  in,  ii., 
223. 

Sprott,  Thomas,  i.,  138. 

Stackallen,  rectory,  i.,  216 ;  private 
chapel,  ii.,  14  ;  church,  ii.,  37  ; 
catechizing,  ii.,  43  ;  incumbent,  ii., 
44;  glebe,  ii.,  153;  plate,  ii.,  263; 
clergy,  ii.,  290. 

Stafernan,  i.,  249. 

Staff ordstown,  i.,  265  ;    ii.,  297. 

Staholmock,  i.,  264  ;    ii.,  287. 

Stamullen,  i.,  121,  215  ;    ii.,  296. 

Staples,  Edward,  Bishop  of  Meath.  i., 
154,  161  ;  escapes  from  Silken 
Thomas,  i.,  163  ;  quarrel  with  Arch- 
bishop Brown,  i.,  174  ;  sermon  at 


Kilmainham.  i.,  174;  unpopularity, 
i.,  181  ;  censured  by  Henry  VI 1 1., 
i.,  182;  deposed,  i.,  183,  188; 
episcopate,  ii.,  271. 

Stella,  ii.,  50. 

Stevens,  John,  ii.,  256. 

St.  George,  Arthur,  ii.,  172,  256. 

St.  George,  Dr.,  ii.,  43. 

St.  George,  Henry,  ii.,  43,  256,  257. 

St.  Leger,  Deputy,  i.,  184. 

St.  Leger,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Meath. 
i.,  87,  116,  124,  130;  ii.,  269. 

St.  Leger,  William,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
i.,  142  ;  ii.,  270. 

Stonehall,  i.,  122  ;   ii.,  153,  154,  335. 

Strafford,  Lord  Deputy,  i.,  263.  ; 

Strongbow,  brought  to  Ireland  by  King 
Dermot,  i.,  64  ;  becomes  King  of 
Leinster,  i.,  66 ;  surrenders  his 
possessions  to  Henry  II.,  L,  67. 

Strokestown,  i.,  229. 

Stocks,  ii.,  58. 

Stopford,  Edward  Adderly,  Bishop  of 
Meath,  ii.,  180,  185,  187,  273. 

Stopford.  Ed  ward  Adderly,  Archdeacon 
of  Meath,  character,  ii.,  182 ; 
supports  the  National  Board,  ii., 
1 88  ;  introduces  scripture  readers, 
ii.,  190;  prayer  meetings,  ii.,«*9i  ; 
his  account  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath, 
ii.,  195  ;  communication  with  Mr. 
Gladstone,  ii.,  197 ;  resolution  at 
Diocesan  Conference,  ii.,  199 ; 
member  of  the  General  Convention, 
ii.,  205  ;  proposes  clause  in  Preamble, 
ii.,  206  appointed  to  draw  up 
Financial  Scheme,  ii.,  215;  co- 
operates with  Lord  Plunket.  ii.,  221  ; 
his  list  of  the  clergy  of  Meath,  ii., 
281. 

Suairleach,  i.,  21. 

Succession,  Act  of,  i.,   165. 

Suffragan  Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  176,  179. 

Summerhill,  dissent  at,  i.,  313,  319- 

Superannuation  Fund,  ii.,  242. 

Supremacy,  royal,  i.,  164,  165,  173.  191. 

Surplice,  ii.,  40. 

Swayne,  John,  Archbishop  of  Armagh, 

i-  133- 

Sweetman,  Richard,  i.,  101. 

Swift,  Francis,  Dean  of  Clonmacnoise, 
ii.,  246,  267. 

Swift,  Jonathan.  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's, 
his  opinion  of  Bishop  Jones,  i.,  244  ; 
negotiates  for  remission  of  first  fruits, 
ii.,  30  ;  on  Irish  episcopal  appoint- 
ments, ii.,  34  services  at  Laracor, 
ii.,  41  ;  a  pluralist,  ii.,  44  ;  oppOMi 
bill  for  building  glebe  houses,  ii.,  45  ; 
appointment  to  Laracor,  ii.,  48 ; 
endows  the  parish,  ii.,  50  ;  "  Happy 
Life  of  a  Country  Parson,"  ii.,  51  ; 
"  Letter  to  a  Young  Clergyman."  ii., 
52;  on  preaching,  ii.,  53:  repaiis 
bis  church,  ii.,  57  ;  letters  to  Bishop 


INDEX 


357 


Evans,  ii.,  62  ;  friendliness  to  Bishop 

Downes,  ii.,  66. 
Syddan,   in    1641,    i.,    274;     plate,    ii. 

40,  265  ;    new  church,  ii.,  226,  248  ; 

clergy,  ii.,  291. 
Sydney,  Sir  Henry,  i.,    192,   196;    his 

description  of  Meath,  i.,   198. 
Synge,    Edward,   vicar    of    Laracor,  i., 

3I4- 

Synod,  i.,  79;    ii.,  96,  203,  209,  219. 


T. 


Taghmon,   income   of   parish,   i.,  122  ; 

incumbent,     i.,     247  ;      church    and 

parson,  ii.,  47  ;   glebe,  ii.,  153  ;    plate 

ii.,  266  ;    clergy,  ii.,  323. 
Taghmon,  Hugh  de,  Bishop  of  Meath, 

i.,  84,  99,  116,  135  ;   ii.,  269. 
Talbot,   Richard,   Lord  Tyrconnell,    i. 

3i8. 

Tandys  of  Athboy,  ii.,   146. 
Tara,    seat    of    the    monarchy,    i.,    i  ; 

Patrick  at,  i.,  4  ;    Shamrock  legend, 

i.,    6;    church,    i.,  9;    ii.,    39,    154; 

tithes,  i.,  265  ;    meeting  of   the  lords 

of  the  Pale,  i.,  282  ;    battle,  ii.,  106  ; 

curate  killed,  ii.,  137  ;   glebe,  ii.,  153  ; 

plate,  ii.,  266  ;    clergy,  ii.,  298. 
Tate,  Mr.,  preacher  at  Summerhill,  i.. 

3i3- 

Tathe,  John,  i.,  140. 
Taxation  of  Meath  (1302),  i.,  119. 
Teffia,  i.,  56,  57. 
Teltown,  fair  of,  i.,  65,  66  ;    clergy,  ii., 

293- 

Temperance  Society,  ii.,  60. 
Templars,  Knights,  i.,  103. 
Templekeiran,  ii.,  298. 
Tempi  eoran,  ii.,  335. 
Tennison,    Richard,   Bishop  of  Meath, 

translated       from        Clogher,        ii., 

28  ;   bequest,  ii.,    28  ;   death,  ii.,  31  ; 

episcopate,  ii.,  272. 
Thomas,  St.,  Abbey,  Dublin,  i.,  73,  93. 
Thomas,  Silken,  i.,  162,  163. 
Tighernach   O'Broin,    Bishop   of  Clon- 

macnoise,  i.,  62. 
Tikehull,  Humphrey  de,  i.,  81. 
Timoole,  ii.,  8,  294. 
Tirechan,  i.,  44. 
Tisaran,    income    of    vicar,    i.,     120; 

tithes,     i.,     264;      glebe,     ii.,     153; 

church,  ii.,  154  ;  plate,  ii.,  265  ;  clergy, 

ii.,  338. 

Tisdall,  John,  ii,  245. 
Tisdall,  Michael,  ii.,  61. 
Tithes,  restitution  of  i.,  263  ;   non-pay- 

ment   of,  ii.,  108  ;    proctors,    ii.,  141  ; 

war,  ii.,  164. 
Tola,  i..  21. 

Toler,   Hon.  Otway,  ii.,   226,   248. 
Toomey,  Mr.,  master  of  Navan  School, 

ii.,   143. 


Torrance,  G.  W.,  ii.,  201. 

Tottenham,  Mrs.,  ii.,  226,  247. 

Townsend,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Meath, 
ii.,  185,  187,  273. 

Tractarian  movement,  ii.,   180,   189. 

Trafalgar,  Thanksgiving  Day,  ii.,   119. 

Trena  of  Kiklalkey,  i.,   15. 

Trench,  Frederick,  ii.,  191,  199. 

Trevet,  origin  of  name,  i.,  46  ;  burned, 
i.,  51  ;  tithes,  i.,  265  ;  vicar  and 
curate,  ii.,  139  ;  parish  clerk,  ii.,  146  ; 
clergy,  ii.,  306. 

Tribunals,  ecclesiastical,  ii.,  209. 

Trim,  foundation  of,  i.,  2,  9  ;  bishopric, 
i,.  53  ;  rural  deanery,  i,.  75  ;  St. 
Mary's  Abbey,  i.,  97  ;  miraculous 
image,  i.,  97,  98,  177,  180;  Dominican 
friary,  i.,  in  ;  Franciscan  monas- 
tery, i.,  112  ;  Richard  of 
Dundalk  preaches  at,  i.,  117;  in-, 
come  of  parish,  i.,  123  :  synod  of  the 
Irish  clergy,  i.,  132  ;  Silken  Thomas 
at,  i.,  163  ;  church,  i.,  169  ;  ii.,  14, 
154;  assizes,  i.,  176;  boy  rector, 
i.,  183  ;  preaching  against  the 
English  Liturgy,  i.,  190  ;  impropria- 
tions,  i.,  197  ;  garrison,  i.,  212  ; 
rectory,  i.,  214  ;  proposal  to  estab- 
lish university  at,  i.,  225  ;  united  to 
see,  i.,  230  ;  Diocesan  school,  i.,  230; 
ii.,  142  ;  rural  deanery,  i.,  243  , 
glebe,  i.,  244  ;  visitation  at,  i., 
249  ;  taken  by  the  rebels  in  1641,  i.. 
273 ;  battle  at,  i.,  289  ;  Cromwell  at, 
i.,  293  ;  extraordinary  story  of 
church  wreckers,  i.,  326  ;  endowment 
of  parish,  ii.,  29  ;  church  services, 
ii.,  41  ;  plate,  ii.,  261  ;  clergy,  ii., 

307- 

Trinitarians,  i.,  103. 

Trinity  parish,  New  York,  ii.,  113. 

Tristelkeiran,  crosses  of,  i.,  40  ;  plun- 
dered, i.,  52,  66. 

Tristernach,  i.,   74,  98. 

Trubly,  i.,    127  ;  ii.,   300. 

Tuathal,  Bishop  of  Clonard,  i., 
21. 

Tuathal,   King  of  Ireland,  i.,   i. 

Tullaghangarvey,  i.,   56  . 

Tullaghanoge,  i.,   249  ;  ii.,   308. 

Tullamore,  chapel  of  ease  to  Durrow 
ii.,    48  ;     visit    of    Wesley,    ii.,    81 
glebe,  ii.,  152,  153  ;    church,  ii.,  154 
Quaker     meeting      house,     ii..     174 
Methodist   chapel,   ii.,    174;    endow- 
ment, ii.,   246;    clergy,  ii.,   331. 

Turgesius,  i.,    50. 

Tyfarnham,  ii.,   323. 

Tyrone,  Earl  of,  his  rebellion,  i., 
209. 

Tyrrell,  Patrick,  R.C.  Bishop  of  Meath, 
"i.,  328  ;  ii.,  75. 

Tyrrelspass,  Wesley  at,  ii.,  56,  81,  83  ; 
Methodist  chapel  ;  ii.,  174  ;  see 
Clonfadforan. 


358 


INDEX 


U. 


Ultan  of  Ardbraccan,  i.,  44. 

Uniformity.  Act  of,  i..  191  ;    ii.,  19. 

Union,  Act  of,  ii.,  123,  125. 

Union  of  parishes,  i.,  170,  274;  ii.,  16, 
is,  44.  215. 

United  Irishmen,  ii.,   104. 

University,  proposal  to  establish  at 
St.  Patrick's,  Dublin,  i.,  194;  at 
Trim,  i.,  225  ;  founded  in  Dublin,  i., 
226. 

Urban  VIII..  Pope.  Bull  of,  i.,  258. 

Ussher,  Archbishop,  i.,  19  ;  appointed 
Bishop  of  Meath,  i.,  221,  230; 
"  Answer  to  a  Jesuit,"  i..  232  ; 
correspondence  with  Rev.  John 
Carter,  i.,  233;  sermon  on  the 
Sword,  i.,238  ;  translated  lo  Armagh, 
i.,  240  ;  visitation  i.,  240  ;  episco- 
pate in  Meath,  ii.,  271. 

Ussher,  Luke  i.,    246. 


V. 


Vacant  parishes,  i.,   126. 

Vagrants,  ii.,  58. 

Valle,  Stephen  de,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 
117,  145  ;  ii.,  270. 

Valysch,  Walter  i,,  144. 

Vanessa,  ii.,  50. 

Vastina,  i.,  249  ;  ii.,  152,  153,  154,  326. 

Venderal,  Nicholas,  i.,  144. 

Verdon,  Rosina  de,   i.,  98. 

Vere,  Robert  de,  Duke  of  Ireland,  i., 
147. 

Vestrymen,  duties  of.  ii.,  58  ;  opposi- 
tion to,  ii.,  60 ;  registered,  ii.,  209. 

"  Vicar  of  Wakefield,"  ii.,  98. 

Villapagan,  L.  249. 

Visitation  of  Meath  (1622),  i.,  242. 

Visitation  at  Laracor,  ii.,  90. 


W. 

Wainwright,  Mark,  ii.,  142. 
Wall,  Peter,  Bishop  of  Clonmacnoise, 
i.(  157  ;   ii.,  276. 


Wallen,  Edward,  i.,  256. 

Wallis,  Thomas,  ii.,  64. 

Walsh,    William.     Bishop    of    Meath, 

appointed  by  Queen  Mary,  i.,   189; 

delay     in     consecration,     i.,      189; 

deprived,    i.,    190 ;     episcopate,    ii., 

271. 

Walsh,  rector  of  Loughsuedy,  i.,  162. 
Walshe,  Dr.,  ii.,   183. 
Ward,  Hill  of,  i..  69. 
Ward,  Hugh,  i  ,  112. 
Ware,  Sir  James,  i.,  258. 
Wellesley,  Hon.  and  Rev.  Gerard,  ii., 

164. 

Wesley,  John,  ii.,  54,  55. 
West  Deeping,  ii,  1 16. 
Westmeath,  Earl  of,  i.,  238. 
Wetherell,  Frederick  W.,  ii.,  246. 
Wherry,  i.,  120,  249  ;  ii.,  138,  153,  339. 
Whip  beggar,  ii,,  59. 
Whitby,  i.,  48. 
White,  Hill  Wilson,  ii.,  96. 
White,  Sir  Nicholas,  i.,  203. 
Whitely,  Thomas,  i.,  230. 
Widows'  Fund,  ii.,  98. 
Wilkinson,  W.  L.,  ii.,  268. 
Wilkinstown,  skirmish  at,  ii.,  107. 
William    III.,    invasion    of,    i.,    320  ; 

welcomed  by  Dublin  clergy,  ii.,  i. 
Williams,    Griffith,  Bishop   of   Ossory, 

i.,  311. 

Wilson,  Andrew,  ii.,  95. 
Wilson,  JDaniel,  i.,  275. 
Wilson,  Richard,  Bishop  of  Meath,  i., 

153,  161  ;   ii.,  271. 
Wilson,  William,  ii.,  95. 
Wilson's  Hospital,  founding  of,  ii.,  95 

chaplain  wounded  by  rebels,  ii.,  107 

used  as  military  barracks,  ii.,    108 

plate,  ii.,  261,  268. 
Woods,  Mr.,  curate  of  Tara,  ii.,  138. 
Wynne,     Frederick     R.,    Bishop      of 

Killaloe,  ii.,  229. 


Y. 

Yellow  plague,  i.,  20. 
Yellow  steeple,  i.,  97. 


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